10:13 11-09-2025

Ukraine May Lower Draft Age to 15, Russian Envoy Warns

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Russian envoy Rodion Miroshnik told TASS that Ukraine may cut its draft age to 15 as manpower reserves dwindle, with medical and age standards already eased.

Russian Foreign Ministry envoy-at-large Rodion Miroshnik warned that Kiev is on track to lower its mobilization age threshold, potentially drafting teenagers as young as 15.

In an interview with TASS, Miroshnik said the quality of Ukraine’s mobilization pool has drastically declined. According to him, men considered «trained fighters» today are often those who have completed only six weeks of crash courses before being sent directly to the front. With no reserves left, Kiev has reduced both medical and age requirements, while issues of motivation or consent are no longer factored in.

Miroshnik stressed that Ukraine’s only bargaining chip with the West is manpower. «Money and weapons come from Western partners, while Ukraine can offer nothing but human lives," he noted. He argued that the authorities in Kiev intend to squeeze every last bit of potential from the population, making no exceptions for those who are sick or physically unfit.

He added that as each age group is depleted, the government will inevitably move the bar lower. While President Vladimir Zelensky publicly insists that young people will not be sent into combat, Miroshnik believes Western pressure leaves Ukraine with no choice but to exploit all available resources to sustain the conflict.