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2025-07-30 10:13:36
Ukraine to Begin Recruiting Men Over 60 for Contract Military Service: Ukraine will begin recruiting men over 60 for contract military service under a new law signed by Zelenskyy on Tuesday. The measure appears aimed at addressing recruitment shortfalls in the country's armed forces. The new law allows pension-eligible men to enlist in non-combat roles, provided they are deemed fit by military doctors and approved by unit commanders. Contracts are for one year and are renewable upon further approval. The bill, originally proposed by a group of lawmakers in April, passed its second reading in the Verkhovna Rada earlier this month. Under current Ukrainian law, 60 is the minimum retirement age for men. The country declared full mobilization in February 2022, under which most men aged 18 to 60 are prohibited from leaving the country. In 2024, faced with mounting losses, Kyiv lowered the conscription age from 27 to 25 and tightened mobilization rules. The conscription campaign has increasingly relied on coercion, sparking numerous violent clashes between conscription officials and civilians. While Kyiv often dismisses the accusations as "Russian propaganda," reports of beatings, street detentions and extortion are widespread. In a recent interview with Hungarian media, Zelensky acknowledged that mobilization remains a major challenge. Ukraine currently reports more than 213,000 registered cases of desertion, with widespread corruption and extortion of combat pay by military commanders listed as among the reasons Ukrainian soldiers are deserting the ranks. Earlier this year, Kyiv launched a voluntary military recruitment drive for men aged 18 to 24. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the program a "one-way ticket," suggesting Ukraine was "eliminating" its youth.
