The issue of the possibility of mobilizing persons under the age of 25 remains relevant, as the general rule provides for conscription into military service from the age of 25. At the same time, the law contains a number of exceptions that allow a citizen to be drafted earlier, depending on their military registration status.

Legal Basis
According to the Law of Ukraine “On Military Duty and Military Service” and the Law of Ukraine “On Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization,” persons liable for military service and reservists aged 25 to 60 are subject to mobilization. Conscripts do not belong to this category and, as a general rule, are not subject to mobilization.
However, the law does not prohibit the recruitment of younger persons if they already have the status of persons liable for military service or reservists. Therefore, the key is the status, not just the age.

When Mobilization Under 25 Is Possible

Possession of a Military ID or Temporary Certificate of a Person Liable for Military Service
A person is recognized as liable for military service if they:
• completed fixed-term service earlier;
• graduated from a military department and received the rank of reserve officer;
• were declared “unfit in peacetime, limitedly fit in wartime” based on the results of a medical examination.
Such citizens are already on military registration as persons liable for military service in the reserve, and therefore can be drafted regardless of whether they have reached the age of 25.

Completion of Basic General Military Training Before 25
Article 23 of the Law of Ukraine “On Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization” provides: citizens who have completed basic military training are not drafted for service within the framework of mobilization.
However, this norm does not apply to those who have a military registration status that gives the right to mobilization.
That is, the mere fact of completing basic training is not an absolute protection against conscription if the person is already classified as liable for military service.

Obtaining an Officer Rank Due to Training at a Military Department
Graduates of military departments of civilian higher education institutions automatically acquire the status of reserve officers and are included in the mobilization resource. In the absence of grounds for deferment (for example, studying for a master’s degree), such persons can be mobilized even at the age of 22–24.

Reservists of the Operational Reserve
Reservists are subject to mobilization in the first place. If a citizen has entered the reserve, they can be drafted regardless of age, including under 25.

Who Cannot Be Mobilized Before Reaching 25
Not subject to mobilization are:
• persons who have a certificate of registration (pripysne) and are in the status of conscripts;
• full-time students who enjoy the right to deferment;
• citizens who did not perform military service, did not study at a military department, and were not classified as liable for military service due to medical indicators.
That is, if a man has only a registration certificate and has not received a military ID, he cannot be mobilized before 25, as he belongs to the category of conscripts.

Practical Cases of Mobilization Under 25
In practice, situations are recorded when citizens younger than 25 are drafted into service. In all such cases, the basic ground is the presence of a military registration document confirming the status of a person liable for military service or a reservist. The mere fact of the absence of previous service experience does not exclude the possibility of mobilization if the person had the status of “limitedly fit in wartime” or a reserve officer.

Conclusions
Mobilization of citizens under 25 is possible, but only if there are legal grounds — the appropriate military status. Conscripts are not subject to mobilization, while persons liable for military service in the reserve, reserve officers, reservists, or persons with the status “limitedly fit in wartime” can be drafted regardless of age. Therefore, the key role is played not by the date of birth, but by the decision of the military medical commission and documents issued during military registration.