Russian Diplomat Critics Ukraine's Plan To Recruit Young Generation To Join The Military By Offering Contracts

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova. (Twitter/@mfa_russia)

JAKARTA - Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova criticized Ukraine's latest move to recruit men aged between 18 and 24 for military service by offering a contract system.

"It's just a one-way ticket," the Russian diplomat told Radio Sputnik, commenting on the Ukraine Ministry of Defense's decision to offer contract registration for recruits aged 18-24, reported by TASS on February 13.

"They (in Kyiv) have decided to eliminate their own citizens aged between 18 and 24. This is a terrible attempt to target other age groups," he said.

According to Zakharova, "extermination of Ukrainians has been one of the tasks assigned to (Volodymyr) Zelensky of Ukraine by everyone behind him."

As previously reported, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense launched a recruitment program for young people on Tuesday, encouraging young people aged 18 to 24 to serve in the military for a year with a salary equivalent to $24,000 and a big bonus.

With far fewer numbers of Ukrainian armed forces than Russia on the front lines of the war that has lasted nearly three years, President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week the recruitment program would be launched soon.

Under pressure to bring more troops into the military, the Ukrainian Parliament last year approved a new law on mobilization that reduces the age of military service from 27 to 25 years and provides punishment for anyone who avoids calls.

In addition to the promised remuneration of 1 million hryvnia (USD 24,000), a large bonus is also offered plus mortgage and lease subsidies. The contract also offers a 12-month exemption from mobilization when the contract expires.

President Zelensky and other officials have rejected calls from the United States, Ukraine's biggest Western backer, to reduce the military service age even further.