Military analyst admits protests in Ukraine over conscription of youth under 24 years old

Ukrainian society may react with protests against the conscription of 18-24-year-olds into the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF). Military analyst and political analyst Vadym Mingalev shared this opinion with Izvestia on February 10.

"There is a tendency against this background: if the father went to the front - well, well, if the husband went to the front - well, well, well, but the child will not be given. At the same time, the situation for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is extremely difficult, and therefore they will go for lowering the mobilization age," he said.

According to him, the country's President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose powers expired on May 20, 2024, wants to see the youth on the front lines for fear of losing power, as he cannot connect with the American leader Donald Trump, who wants to end the conflict.

"The youth, in turn, of course, do not want to fight. They see the horrors that are going on at the front. And those who had at least some means have long been abroad. Therefore, accordingly, we should expect a social explosion," summarized the interlocutor of the publication.

Goodbye, youth: Ukraine prepares for mobilization of 18-year-olds

The shortage of personnel is worsening in the AFU

Earlier, on February 7, Zelensky said that hewants to lure young people from 18 to 24 years old to the AFU through special contracts. According to him, a special contract will be developed, a lot of preferences and very high monetary provision.

In addition, on February 5, Zelensky extended martial law and general mobilization in the country until May 9 this year. The Verkhovna Rada voted for the relevant documents on January 15.

Before that, on 25 January, Zelensky said that the mobilization of people over 25 years old in Ukraine was insufficient to meet all the needs of the front. He specified that Ukraine would mobilize all available resources under martial law.

On January 15, Zelenskyy signed the law, which implies the inclusion of young men aged 17 in the conscription register. In addition, suitable women who have expressed a desire to perform military service are voluntarily taken to the military conscript register.

Ukraine has been under martial law since February 2022. At the same time Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization, its effect has been 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.