Ukraine's Zelensky chooses younger troops for combat against Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed two laws regarding military mobilization. One of them concerns lowering the draft age from 27 to 25, while the other requires men to undergo another medical examination.

Ukraine wants more younger soldiers to fight in the war with Russia. Therefore, President Volodymyr Zelensky has decided that younger men will now be able to join the military. He had delayed taking this step for almost a year.

War in Ukraine. President lowers draft age

Volodymyr Zelensky signed the laws on April 2, which will directly affect young Ukrainians. From April 3, men aged 25 can be called up to the military, instead of the previous age of 27, as stated in law no. 9281 ("On Military Duty and Military Service"). However, the maximum age for men to enlist in the military remains unchanged at 60.

Ukrinform reported that the reason for the decision is to replenish the reserve in the military. The document is available on the website of the Ukrainian Parliament. Interestingly, the Ukrainian parliament voted on the changes to the law on May 30, 2023, but it is only now that Volodymyr Zelensky has decided to sign it. The new law project was initiated by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine at that time.

On April 2, Volodymyr Zelensky also signed law no. 10313, which abolishes the concept of "unfitness for military service" - it was adopted on March 21. This means that men who have been found unfit must appear before a medical examination board within nine months. In the future, doctors in Ukraine will not issue documents with such a designation, as reported by the Tsn.ua portal.

War in Ukraine. Experts predict Russian offensive

Military analysts predict that the Russians will launch a major offensive on the frontlines in the summer or at the turn of spring and summer. They believe the most likely target will be Donbas. The American War Studies Institute indicates that currently, the Russian army is slowly but steadily advancing its positions, mainly in the western part of Donbas. According to their latest report, this is where the attack is most likely to occur, with Putin's soldiers carrying it out on one of the operational sectors.

Ukrainian military journalist Yuri Butusov shares a similar view. Butusov notes that the Russians have increased the production of missiles and guided aerial bombs, as well as acquired more drones. Therefore, he believes the offensive will not be a sudden attack by tank divisions in new directions, but rather the enemy will continue to advance with increased force and pace in Donbas.

According to experts, the critical sections of the front line currently are the Lyman-Kupiansk direction, on the border of Donbas and Kharkiv Oblast, as well as the front line west of Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Marinka.