Ukraine Lowers Draft Age in Effort to Replenish Army
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has signed a law lowering the draft age from 27 to 25 and eliminating some medical exemptions in a bid to bolster the country’s exhausted army. Additionally, an electronic database of men starting at age 17 has been created to crack down on draft dodgers.
The legislation was passed by Parliament last May, but Zelensky had delayed signing it in the hopes that it wouldn’t be necessary. However, with Russia’s unrelenting assault and warnings of a broader attack in the spring or summer, the President felt he had no choice but to implement the new laws.
The move comes as Ukraine’s army faces a shortage of ammunition and soldiers who have been on continual combat duty for two years. Analysts suggest that Ukraine will only be able to hold the existing front lines this year if there is an influx of U.S. weapons.
However, there are risks associated with the lowered draft age. Ukraine has a small generation of 20-year-olds due to plummeting birthrates in the 1990s. Drafting men at age 25 could further diminish these numbers and jeopardize future birthrates, potentially leaving the country without enough working- and draft-age men in the future.
In other news, dozens of people remain trapped in Taiwan following a magnitude-7.4 earthquake that struck the island. At least nine people have died and more than 1,000 others have been injured in Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in 25 years. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with officials warning of more aftershocks and the possibility of landslides in the coming days.
Meanwhile, a deadly Israeli strike on an aid convoy in Gaza has set back efforts to address a hunger crisis in the territory. The nonprofit organization, World Central Kitchen, has halted its operations in Gaza following the incident. Israeli military officials have acknowledged the mistake, and President Biden has called on Israel to do more to protect civilians in the conflict.
Lastly, developing countries are facing challenges in lifting millions out of poverty through industrialization, as technology, supply chains, and political tensions reshape trade patterns. Service jobs, such as those in India’s growing economy, are seen as a potential alternative to traditional manufacturing jobs for economic growth.
