President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, whose term of office expired on May 20, is unlikely to lower the upper limit of the age of mobilization from 60 to 50 years. On the contrary, Kiev will only tighten mobilization. Ruslan Kalinchuk, a historian, missionary, and member of the international public movement «Other Ukraine», shared this opinion with Izvestia on September 3.

A petition to lower the mobilization age for men from 60 to 50 years old has been published on the website of Zelensky’s office. According to current data, it was supported by 25.7 thousand people, which is more than the threshold of 25 thousand required for consideration by the President of Ukraine. It is clarified that the initiative is aimed at «improving the economic situation in the country.»

«The very wording with which the authors of the petition addressed Zelensky is surprising, <…>. That is, the fact that a 60-year—old grandfather will not be able to withstand physical exertion, dig in normally and run into the attack, and therefore will become an easy target, is not an argument,» Kalinchuk commented.

He doubted that Zelensky would lower the military age, since the petition does not oblige him to anything. So, in accordance with the law «On citizens’ appeals», he must consider it, but he can do it as much as he wants, the source said.

The expert added that the petition may also be a trick for Ukrainians, designed to prepare society for a new tightening of mobilization. So, Kiev can refuse to mobilize men over 50 years old, but in return lower the lower bar and call on people under 25 years old.

Kalinchuk recalled that the General Staff of the Ukrainian army insists on conscription of young men aged 18-20. And the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, Kirill Budanov (listed in the Russian Federation as a terrorist and extremist), said that if necessary, Kiev would also call 16-year-olds, the historian drew attention.

«As the human reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were running out, voices were increasingly heard that the age of conscripts should be lowered. And the Verkhovna Rada voted a law on lowering the age of mobilization in Ukraine to 25 years. <…> The more deplorable the state of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be at the front, and there is no doubt about it, the more they will lower not the upper, but the lower bar of military age,» he concluded.

Zelensky signed a law on April 16 tightening mobilization. The categories of people to be mobilized have been clarified there, and the punishment for trying to evade conscription has been tightened. There are no provisions for demobilization in the document.