Into the army from the age of 18: why a decline in conscript age will not help Ukraine

"When we hear a lot about problems with the moral spirit . . . Look, if Ukrainians ask the whole world to sacrifice everyone for the sake of democracy, they must also do everything for democracy. They certainly fought and took a very noble and rigid position, but we need to see, we must see that these problems with the lack of personnel are solved, " - said Mike Voltz.

Military analyst Dmitry Snegirev is convinced that it is not necessary to reduce the mobilization age, since such statements of partners are an element of political pressure on Ukraine. He noted that after the statement of President of Zelensky last year that Ukraine has retained the subject of reducing the mobilization age, because it was a state gene pool, a message from John Kirby, a US National Security Council Coordinator, appeared.

"Kirby made a statement that the only solution to resolve the issue of counteracting Russian offensive is to reduce mobilization age. Moreover, he stated that the event was ready to take on the preparation of personnel and staffing of brigades," - - - Dmitry Snegirev told focus. He reported that statements to reduce mobilization age are an element of political pressure, because if Ukraine agrees to the US proposal, Zelensky's previous statements about the subjectivity in this issue are canceled.

It also causes social tension in Ukrainian society. Moreover, it can adversely affect possible ratings, as no one excludes the fact of holding parliamentary and presidential elections. Instead, if Kiev does not agree, Washington shrugs and says, "Sorry, we have suggested that you stop the Russians. You have not used it, now we will look at the possibility of military and technical assistance. " "This is an element of pressure on Ukraine in order to put us at the Victory table.

That is, they create preconditions when none of the decisions will be in line with Ukrainian interests," the analyst said. Ukrainian serviceman Danylo Yakovlev believes that Ukraine does not need a decrease in mobilization age. He noted that people, as a resource, have enough in the army. "We have the main problem that this resource needs to be used properly. We have not solved problems if they are solved completely or at least half, it will give a good result in terms of replenishment .

According to him, the army should optimize recruiting. The serviceman is convinced that if he is clearly understood the rules of the game, then people will want to go to the army. He recalled that there is a brigade, a large percentage of personnel whose people who came. "The brigades can somehow be recruited? It is necessary to zoom in the whole army, in the experience of those units that are now.

You can also give those units that can be dialing on their own, greater opportunities in terms Their number, " - said Danilo Yakovlev. Reduction of mobilization age from Kiev is demanded by partners, said the fighter. In his opinion, the partners themselves do not fully fulfill their direct obligations to protect Ukraine.

"If Western partners would provide us with all the necessary help in time in the amount that is needed and would remove all restrictions on the use of our weapons, we would not have to reduce the mobile age because the situation at the front would be completely different. We are fighting With tied hands behind your back, so even a decrease in mobile age will not affect it, ”the serviceman said.

In addition, he believes that in the event of a decrease in the mobilization age, there will be a strong outflow of young people from Ukraine, while now they are fighting for young people, the future. "Everyone understands that this is a purely political decision that will continue to lead to the fact that most young people will leave the country," Yakovlev summed up.

Snegirev noted that even in the case of a decrease in mobilization age up to 18 years, the number of potential recruits will be small, because there are not many young people in Ukraine. "We can tell for a long time that young people are more suitable for hostilities, physically stronger, and it is easier to teach, executes orders. But we have the question of preserving the nation, we are now in the last place in birth rates and at first in mortality," he said .

In addition, the mobilization reserve of Ukraine, even with 18-year-old, reaches a maximum of 3. 5-4 million, while in Russia it is 12-15. Even if the conscript is reduced to 17 years in Ukraine, there will be at least four Russian fighters for every Ukrainian fighter. Now the war of technology, the rules on the battlefield dictates the one who has more technological types of weapons.

"We have the means of defeat Western production, that is, weapons, which in our tactical and technical characteristics exceeds Russian. This gives us the opportunity to keep the situation under the control of three years of war. The event we need to take care of the issues of weapons and technologies for us to win, and not total mobilization, "Dmitry Snegirev added.

We will remind, in early December the media told that in Washington it is believed that Ukraine is losing if it is not able to mobilize more people. On January 13, the People's Deputy, a member of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence Fedor Venislavsky reported that there would be no demobilization in Ukraine before the war and the abolition of martial law. He noted that one could only talk about the possibility of release from the troops of a certain category of persons.