Russian MFA: Ukraine plans to lower draft age to 18 under EU pressure

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has stated that the Ukrainian authorities, under pressure from European partners, may tighten mobilisation measures in the future, including lowering the draft age to 18.

During a briefing, she claimed that Kyiv intends to realise these plans in exchange for another round of multibillion-dollar loans, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

Zakharova also alleged that Ukrainian citizens had been “cruelly deceived, like Germans under Hitler’s Nazi regime.”

According to her, the Ukrainian leadership continues “to trade the country, its resources, and the future of its citizens.”

The Russian diplomat also criticised the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, describing the actions of the European Commission as “outright robbery.”

“As you know, since February 2024, the EU has transferred €6.6 billion to the Kyiv regime from the reinvestment of Russian Central Bank funds frozen in the Euroclear depository. In July, Brussels intends to replenish the Ukrainian budget in the same way with almost another €1.5 billion,” Zakharova noted.

She stressed that any operations involving Russian assets without Moscow’s consent are illegal.

“What the European Commission is doing is outright robbery, and any attempts to whitewash it with pseudo-legal formulas, wording, or invented slogans are untenable,” she said.

Zakharova added that Russia intends to seek compensation for damages and reserves the right to file claims against states that, according to Moscow, support the financing of actions by the Ukrainian authorities.

“We reserve the right to put forward relevant claims against any state sponsoring acts of genocide, terrorism, or other international crimes committed by Ukrainian citizens on the instructions, with the mediation, or assistance of Kyiv officials,” she said.

She further stated that Moscow views any use of frozen Russian assets to finance Ukrainian state institutions and security agencies as a violation of international conventions on combating terrorism financing.

“Any direct or indirect use of blocked Russian assets to provide financial assistance to Bankova, as well as any lending to Kyiv using those funds, should be regarded as financing terrorism,” Zakharova explained.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov