Is it worth lowering the mobilization age and closing the border for youth? – Opinion of a military expert
Kyiv • UNN
Oleksiy Hetman proposes lowering the mobilization age to 21. The expert also calls for restricting the departure of young people abroad in order to preserve the country's demographics.
Amid discussions regarding a possible lowering of the mobilization age and restrictions on men aged 18–22 traveling abroad, the issue of balancing frontline needs with public reaction is intensifying again in Ukraine. Military expert Oleksiy Hetman, in an interview with UNN, explained what the optimal age for mobilization should be, which branches of the military are most effective for youth, and justified why the authorities should make unpopular decisions.
"Youth are leaving and not returning" - whether travel should be restricted
The expert believes that during martial law, the state should not expand opportunities for young men to travel abroad. In his opinion, this directly affects the country's demographics and mobilization resource.
At the same time, he acknowledges that a decision already made is difficult to reverse from the perspective of public trust. However, the state's interest must remain the priority.
"I am convinced that during martial law, young people should not be given the opportunity to leave en masse. A significant portion of those who leave do not plan to return. They adapt abroad, find jobs, and we effectively lose people who could start families, have children, and work in Ukraine. This is a strategic problem," Hetman noted.
He added that even if reversing such a decision causes negativity, the authorities must assess the situation not through the prism of ratings.
"Yes, it may look like a sharp change in the rules of the game and cause dissatisfaction. But the state must make decisions that are beneficial for its survival. After a certain time, society begins to understand that even unpopular steps were correct," the expert explained.
Lowering the mobilization age - not 23, but 21
Hetman supports the idea of lowering the mobilization age but believes the optimal threshold could be even lower. According to him, modern warfare changes the approach to personnel utilization, and youth have clear advantages here.
"I believe the mobilization age should have been lowered earlier. And, in my opinion, it should be not 23, but approximately 21 years old. At this age, a person is already mature enough to fulfill their duty to protect the state. At the same time, young people adapt much faster to modern conditions of war," he said.
The expert emphasizes that this is not about sending youth en masse into the infantry or assault units.
"There is a stereotype that if young people are mobilized, they will immediately be sent into assaults. This is not the case. Today, we critically need drone operators. And it is precisely young people who grew up with gadgets who master this literally in minutes. A 20-year-old can sit down and fully understand the controls in a short time. For older people, this is much more difficult," Hetman explained.
Rotations and exhaustion - why the army needs new people right now
Despite the relative stabilization of the front, the expert warns: the situation could deteriorate sharply if forces are not replenished. He refers to international studies showing that even a motivated fighter loses effectiveness due to prolonged stay in a combat zone.
"There are studies that clearly show a person cannot fight effectively for a long time without rotation. This is not about fatigue in the everyday sense. After several months at the 'zero line,' the effectiveness of even an experienced fighter drops significantly. They remain motivated but can no longer perform tasks as they did before," he noted.
According to the expert, new mobilized personnel are needed not only for reinforcement but also to maintain combat capability.
"These people are needed to give a rest to those holding the front now. If this is not done, then even with the same army size, its effectiveness could drop by half. And then the stabilization of the front could very quickly turn into problems," Hetman emphasized.
Will the authorities take unpopular decisions
The expert believes the key question is not military expediency, but political will. In his opinion, delaying such decisions is dangerous.
"I would not want these decisions to be made only when there is no other way out. We shouldn't wait for the situation to resolve itself. It won't. Difficult decisions need to be made now," he stressed.
Hetman recalled that the Ukrainian authorities have already declared their readiness for unpopular steps for the sake of victory.
"If there is truly an intention to act in the interests of the state, even at the cost of ratings, then such decisions can be made. They will be unpopular but useful. And in the long run, leaders are judged precisely by such decisions," the expert noted.
In conclusion, he emphasized that the issue of mobilization is not just about the number of people, but about the army's ability to maintain effectiveness in a long-term war.