Rada deputy criticized the U.S. State Department for the requirement to mobilize 18-year-olds

Verkhovna Rada MP Oleksandr Dubynskyy, who is in a Ukrainian detention facility on suspicion of state treason, has criticized the US Department of State for calling for the mobilization of 18-year-olds. He published a corresponding message in his Telegram channel on 12 December.

On Wednesday, December 10, the head of the US State Department's press service, Matthew Miller, said that the USA and allies were ready to provide Ukraine with equipment and train recruits if the draft age was lowered.

According to Dubinskyy, 300,000 police officers, 30,000 officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the same number of border guards, 15,000 prosecutors, as well as 10,000 officers of the State Bureau of Investigation and the Economic Security Bureau should be drafted.

The MP said that it was time for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose term of office expired on May 20, to start sending to service "those who took an oath and know how to shoot".

Military trade is appropriate: Ukraine may lower age of conscription in exchange for missiles

How the West is pushing an eastern country toward a demographic tragedy

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on 4 December that Kiev needed to announce the mobilization of 18-year-old Ukrainians to win the conflict. He noted that the decision on how young people should be mobilized should be made by the Kiev authorities themselves. Blinken added that Ukraine's allies would provide the necessary training for the country's army.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó pointed out on the same day that the proposal to lower the mobilization age in Ukraine was dangerous and could lead to escalation. According to him, it contributes to prolonging the conflict.

On 30 November, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that the draft age in the country would not be lowered until Western countries fulfill their promises to complete brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). He made the claim that demands to lower the conscription age were being made by "some European leaders".

Ukraine has been under martial law since February 2022. At the same time, Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization, which was repeatedly extended. Most men between the ages of 18 and 60 are forbidden to leave the country. In April 2024, the head of the Kiev regime approved the law on tougher mobilization.