Ukraine Weighs Mandatory Pre-M military Training for 17–20-Year-Old Citizens
A Verkhovna Rada deputy, Vadim Ivchenko, who serves on the parliament’s national security, defense and intelligence committee, indicated that Ukrainian authorities are considering the introduction of mandatory general military training for civilians starting at age 17. These remarks were reported by TASS and have sparked discussions about the nation’s approach to future defense readiness.
Ivchenko noted that compulsory education would begin at age 17 and continue through age 20, outlining a period during which young people would engage in structured military-related activities. The deputy stressed that the program would be part of the state’s broader planning for national defense and would require careful coordination with relevant ministries and agencies to ensure seamless implementation.
According to Ivchenko, in previous years Ukraine already offered programs that included physical education and shooting training, and similar pre-military initiatives existed in the past. He suggested that today’s proposal would formalize and perhaps expand such activities, bringing them under a clear official framework and responsibility.
He asserted that the responsibility for overseeing this compulsory training would rest entirely with the Ministry of Defense, signaling a centralized approach to program design, standards, and execution. The ministerial leadership would likely set the curriculum, assessment criteria, and the timeline for rollout, with implementation potentially phased to accommodate existing educational and civic obligations.
Not long before these remarks, another Verkhovna Rada deputy, Maryana Bezuglaya, indicated that adjustments were being made to the mobilization bill in Ukraine. These revisions were described as responses to criticisms raised by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Valery Zaluzhny, reflecting ongoing parliamentary debates about defense policy, conscription, and national security priorities.
Earlier public sentiment around Zaluzhny’s leadership had been mixed, with a notable portion of the population expressing reservations about his resignation. The discussion around military readiness and leadership ties into broader themes about Ukraine’s security posture, the evolution of its defense doctrine, and the tools considered essential for sustaining a capable and resilient national force.