(MENAFN) Ukraine will begin allowing men over the age of 60 to join its military under one-year contracts, according to new legislation signed Tuesday by President Vladimir Zelensky. The move appears designed to ease growing pressure on recruitment as the country’s armed forces continue to face significant manpower shortages.

The law permits men past retirement age to voluntarily sign up for non-combat duties, provided they pass a medical evaluation by military doctors and receive approval from a commanding officer. These service contracts will span 12 months and can be extended with further authorization.

Initially proposed in April by a coalition of Ukrainian lawmakers, the bill cleared its second reading in the Verkhovna Rada earlier this month. In Ukraine, the legal retirement age for men is currently set at 60.

A general mobilization order, issued in February 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion, remains in effect. Under this directive, men between 18 and 60 are barred from leaving the country. Amid rising battlefield losses, Kiev revised its conscription laws in 2024, lowering the draft age from 27 to 25 and implementing stricter mobilization measures.

Ukraine's draft efforts have increasingly depended on aggressive tactics, leading to widespread reports of coercive enforcement. Numerous incidents involving physical altercations between civilians and recruitment officers have been documented. Allegations of forced detentions, beatings, and extortion have circulated across social media and independent platforms, though Kiev continues to dismiss such claims as “Russian propaganda.”

In a recent interview with Hungarian journalists, Zelensky acknowledged the significant difficulties posed by ongoing mobilization efforts, calling it one of the country’s central military challenges.

To date, Ukraine has recorded more than 213,000 official cases of desertion. Corruption within the ranks—particularly involving commanders allegedly skimming combat pay—and declining morale have been cited as key reasons behind the mass abandonment of posts.

Earlier this year, Kiev launched a new voluntary recruitment initiative targeting males aged 18 to 24. The program has drawn sharp criticism from Russian officials. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the campaign as “a one-way ticket,” accusing Ukraine of “annihilating” its youth.

Russian authorities have consistently claimed that Kiev’s Western allies are prepared to fight Russia “until the last Ukrainian.”

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