On April 28, the Verkhovna Rada extended martial law and mobilization in Ukraine until August 2, 2026. However, the rules for conscription remain unchanged - the same provisions apply.
UNIAN explained how mobilization in Ukraine is going on today: who is called up first, at what age is considered fit for conscription, and what changes are currently being discussed.
The law “On preparation for mobilization and mobilization“ determines the age for conscription in Ukraine in 2026 in the range from 18 to 60 years - this is the mobilization age enshrined in the law in Ukraine. However, in practice, it is not age that is decisive, but status – that is, the key concept here is “conscript“.
Men under 25 who have never served and are not in the reserve are considered conscripts and are not subject to mobilization. They can only be recruited voluntarily, under a contract (Treaty 18-24).
Can someone be mobilized before the age of 25 if they have served? Yes, if a young man has already served or has military training, he automatically becomes capable of military service and can receive a notice of conscription even before the age of 25.
In practice, 25 years is the actual lower limit of mobilization: from this age a man is automatically considered liable for military service and can be called up, unless there is a deferment or exemption.
The upper limit is also not so clearly defined. For most, this is 60 years, but for senior officers, the age of conscription in Ukraine is *up to* 65. Other men over 60 have the right to continue serving on a contract basis (Contract 60+) if they wish, subject to a relevant decision by the command.
As of June 1, the rules for mobilization in Ukraine remain unchanged – martial law and general mobilization have been extended until August 2, 2026. No new provisions have been introduced and this process remains regulated by current legislation.
Thus, key factors remain not only age, but also military status, health status and the absence of legal grounds for dismissal from service.
In parallel with the current mobilization rules, the authorities are preparing to introduce several important changes.
For example, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, stated that servicemen dismissed from service will receive a deferral from re-call-up proportional to the number of days spent at the front. The mechanism has already been determined by the military command and its practical development continues at the brigade level. The decision-making process was scheduled to be completed by the end of May.
In addition, as UNIAN reported earlier, territorial recruitment centers could be transformed into “Reserve Offices+“.
The Ministry of Defense is considering transforming territorial recruitment centers into “Reserve Offices+“ with two separate divisions: recruitment offices, responsible for registration of conscripts, recruitment and enrollment, and support offices, responsible for social issues such as compensation for the wounded and payments to the families of the deceased.
The project is currently under discussion and has not been enshrined in any bills or resolutions.