Ukrainian authorities, due to the acute shortage of servicemen in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, should lower the draft age, believes Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.
"Currently, conscription in Ukraine is only possible from the age of 25. It can be lowered by one or two years, that is, to 23 or 22 years," Klitschko stated in an interview with the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network on Wednesday, November 12.
Moreover, too many conscripts have left the country, emphasized Vitaliy Klitschko, as Ukraine defends itself against Russia's military aggression.
Klitschko Expressed Hope for the Return of Youth to Ukraine
The day before, on the German television channel Welt, he also spoke about the "huge problems with the lack of soldiers and human resources in Ukraine," while Russia sends more and more young people to war. He also expressed concerns about the large number of young people who have left their homeland. According to him, Ukraine would be glad if at least half of them returned after the war. Young people "integrate quite quickly in the countries that accept them and learn the language," as well as start families there, explained the mayor of Kyiv.
In August, authorities in Kyiv allowed men under 23 to leave Ukraine, which led to a new wave of Ukrainian refugees in European countries. Ukrainian men aged 24 to 60 are still allowed to leave the country only in exceptional cases.
