President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday signed a law allowing Ukrainian people over 60 to join the armed forces, which are struggling to find recruits as the Russian invasion drags through a fourth year.
The law will allow them to sign a one-year contract for non-combat roles if they pass medical tests, according to an explanatory note on the parliament’s website.
“A significant number of citizens aged 60 and over have expressed a strong desire to voluntarily join the defense of the state,” the note said.
“It is necessary to involve a larger number of people who wish to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” it said.
Ukraine has launched several initiatives to attract more people into the armed forces — including with a one-year contract and financial incentives for people aged 18 to 24.
It also lowered the mobilization age from 27 to 25 in April 2024 — resisting calls from the US administration to lower it to 18.
