Shortage of troops in Ukraine reopens debate on recruiting women

Ukraine is short of soldiers. It is the main weakness of its army, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov acknowledged in January, and its commanders have been lamenting since 2024. The shortage of troops forces thousands of men in the Armed Forces of Ukraine to spend months in combat positions without relief, without rest. Could recruiting women be a solution? Two debates resurface intermittently in wartime Ukraine: should the age of men subject to compulsory conscription be lowered? The current minimum age is 25. Should mandatory enlistment for women begin? Both options provoke a strong backlash and broad social rejection. On the...