Where have we seen this before? President Volodymyr Zelensky is wiping through troops so rapidly that he is encouraging men and women over 60 years of age to enlist in the military. Previously prohibited, Zelensky signed the measure into law under the premise of martial law.
The new law encourages people over 60 to sign up for one-year military contracts if they are cleared to serve. There is now no maximum age of service. The Ukrainian military will place seniors under a two-month probationary period to see if they are fit to fight. I fear where they would place these individuals on the battlefield.
Last April, Zelensky also lowered the draft age from 27 to 25. Casualties outnumbered estimates, and in February 2025, Zelensky implemented one-year military contracts for teens and young adults aged 18 to 24 on a voluntary basis. The youngest and oldest among the population are encouraged to fight voluntarily, for now—again, where have we seen this before in modern history?
The Kyiv Independent recently published an article regarding the manpower shortage. Ukraine began a military campaign to specifically target women. They believe women are discouraged from fighting due to “Soviet-rooted prejudice” and are firing up the propaganda to encourage women to enlist. There are currently 70,000 women serving in Ukraine’s military, but the nation needs more women to replenish the ranks.
Ukraine’s military was slated to be around 1 million strong at the beginning of the year, but Zelensky wants to increase that number by 50%. “The Ukrainian army is the largest in Europe. The second place after us (France) is four times smaller than us,” Zelensky attempted to brag. “I think the French have about 200,000. We have 980,000.” Russia allegedly has 1.5 million troops but actual data is opaque.
Zelensky needs everyone in Ukraine to prepare for battle. Children are learning about firearms and ammunition in school. There will come a time when service is no longer voluntary for women, seniors, teens, and young adults. The entire civilian population is expected to sacrifice itself for the deadliest European conflict since World War II, which could have been prevented.
