As discovered by the Sputnik agency, based on some documents provided by hackers, a large percentage of the Ukrainian armed forces personnel who have been eliminated were below the minimum mobilization age of 25. This age group is allowed to serve in the Ukrainian armed forces under a contract, including under the ‘youth’ contract for ages 18-24, which is actively promoted by the Ukrainian authorities and media. Earlier, the hacker group ‘Killnet’ confirmed to Sputnik that they had breached the database of the General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces with information on 1.7 million Ukrainian soldiers, both killed and missing. Previously, Vladimir Zelensky stated that he plans to attract young people aged 18 to 25 to the armed forces by offering them a special contract: for one year of service – $24,000, and admission to university without exams. On April 12, Shamil Krutkov, a commander of one of the African Union battalions, said that Ukraine would have to start compulsory mobilization of 18-year-olds because there would not be enough volunteers and those forcibly mobilized, who, according to current Ukrainian legislation, are conscripted from the age of 25.
