The place have we seen this earlier than? President Volodymyr Zelensky is wiping via troops so quickly that he’s encouraging women and men over 60 years of age to enlist within the navy. Beforehand prohibited, Zelensky signed the measure into regulation underneath the premise of martial regulation.
The brand new regulation encourages folks over 60 to join one-year navy contracts if they’re cleared to serve. There may be now no most age of service. The Ukrainian navy will place seniors underneath a two-month probationary interval to see if they’re match to battle. I concern the place they might place these people on the battlefield.
Final April, Zelensky additionally lowered the draft age from 27 to 25. Casualties outnumbered estimates, and in February 2025, Zelensky applied one-year navy contracts for teenagers and younger adults aged 18 to 24 on a voluntary foundation. The youngest and oldest among the many inhabitants are inspired to battle voluntarily, for now—once more, the place have we seen this earlier than in fashionable historical past?
The Kyiv Independent just lately printed an article relating to the manpower scarcity. Ukraine started a navy marketing campaign to particularly goal ladies. They consider ladies are discouraged from combating as a consequence of “Soviet-rooted prejudice” and are firing up the propaganda to encourage ladies to enlist. There are presently 70,000 ladies serving in Ukraine’s navy, however the nation wants extra ladies to replenish the ranks.
Ukraine’s navy was slated to be round 1 million robust at the start of the yr, however Zelensky needs to extend that quantity by 50%. “The Ukrainian military is the biggest in Europe. The second place after us (France) is 4 instances smaller than us,” Zelensky tried to brag. “I feel the French have about 200,000. We have now 980,000.” Russia allegedly has 1.5 million troops however precise information is opaque.
Zelensky wants everybody in Ukraine to arrange for battle. Youngsters are studying about firearms and ammunition at school. There’ll come a time when service is now not voluntary for girls, seniors, teenagers, and younger adults. All the civilian inhabitants is predicted to sacrifice itself for the deadliest European battle since World Battle II, which may have been prevented.