Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
has signed a new bill into law, lowering the military mobilization
age by two years from 27 to 25. Kyiv has suffered significant losses on
the battlefield during the two-year war, while Russia has maintained a
substantial advantage in manpower. This change aims to allow Ukraine to call up
more individuals to replenish its reserves, especially after volunteer numbers decreased. In December, Mr Zelensky emphasized the
need for an additional 500,000 sold
iers. Despite being approved by MPs in May 2023,
the bill did not become effective until Mr Zelensky signed it on Tuesday. The reason
for his sudden action remains unclear; however, he has previously warned about potential
spring or summer offensives by Russia this year. The signing of this bill could
indicate Ukraine's focus on bolstering defensive fortifications in
anticipation of a Russian offensive. Ukrainian forces had initially aimed to reclaim territories taken by Russia and cut
off
Russian supply lines to Crimea. However, due to the lack of air
superiority and formidable Russian defenses, Kyiv's counter-offensive
stalled at the onset of winter, raising concerns about Russia's
military superiority over Ukraine. Last year, Ukrainian Gen Oleksandr Tarnavskyi
revealed that due to a decrease in foreign aid, troops had to scale down some military operations. Ukraine heavily relies on Western supplies, particularly deliveries of long-range
missiles and air defense systems.
Yet, billions of pounds of US and EU aid have
been delayed due to political disputes. Russian President Vladimir Putin claims
over 600,000 of his troops are involved in the conflict, although the number
of casualties remains undisclosed. A classified US intelligence report
from December estimated that 315,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or
wounded since the war's inception, nearly 90% of Russia's military
personnel at the start of the invasion. In February, Mr Zelensky reported 31,00
0
Ukrainian soldiers killed since the war began. However, US officials
suggest the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed ranges from at least
70,000 to as many as 120,000 injured.
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