Ukraine to launch military training for teens as young as 14 - official | 5 Aug 2025 | Ukraine is set to introduce a national program of military instruction targeting teenagers as young as 14, a senior Defense Ministry official revealed on Monday, amid struggles to maintain recruitment levels. Ukraine's armed forces rely on mass compulsory conscription, but the campaign has faced growing public resistance and complaints about its abusive execution. The authorities, meanwhile, are pushing for early-stage education to instill what they describe as a nationwide culture of resistance. Igor Khort, the acting head of the Defense Ministry department overseeing Ukraine's national resistance policy, outlined the plan at a forum in Kiev. He said students will begin instruction through a required curriculum titled "Defense of Ukraine," and take part in organized paramilitary games.