Mobilization of 18-year-olds inevitable - Ukrainian officer

The military officer shared this opinion in an interview with SlidstvoInfo.

"Unfortunately, I am firmly convinced that we will have to mobilize from the age of 18. Unfortunately, these are the realities we may have to face. But, most likely, as practice shows, we will start mobilizing them when it’s already overdue," Krutkov said.

According to the commander, all brigades of the Ukrainian Defense Forces are currently experiencing a shortage of personnel.

“There’s a problem everywhere: personnel — a shortage. That’s why we need to do everything to protect people as much as possible. There are actually many technical means and ways to do this. We need to approach replenishing personnel in a more timely manner. I’ll say this: 5 trained and prepared infantrymen are better than 40 untrained ones. I’m convinced of that,” said the commander of the 93rd Brigade.

At the same time, Krutkov considers the main task of the Ukrainian military to be preventing further advance by the occupying Russian forces and preserving the state of Ukraine as such, rather than reaching the 1991 borders.

• As of spring 2025, conscription in Ukraine applies to men aged 25 and older. 
• Currently, young men and women aged 18-24 can only voluntarily join the military on a contract basis, with special terms for them.
• Starting in the fall of 2025, students at Ukrainian universities will undergo mandatory military training, similar to the basic military training for adult conscripts and volunteers.
• High school students will also study the Defense of Ukraine course, which is increasingly aligned with the realities of modern warfare. They will learn how to use drones, acquire tactical medicine skills, and be trained to handle modern weapons.