Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
What mobilization in Ukraine will look like from 1 September / ua.depositphotos.com The state of martial law in Ukraine remains in effect - the Verkhovna Rada extended it until 31 October 2026.
At the same time, September begins against the backdrop of several concurrent processes.
We explain how mobilization in Ukraine will proceed in September 2026 - who may be drafted first and which changes are actually being discussed now and which are fake.
At what age are people drafted to the war in Ukraine
The current Law on Mobilization in Ukraine 2026 still defines the conscription age as 18-60 years, but the key factor remains not the age itself but the status of "military liable" (viiiskovozoboviazhanyi).
Men up to 25 years old who have never served and are not in the reserve are officially considered conscripts, not military-liable persons - they can be called up only on a voluntary basis, under a "Contract 18-24". If a young man already has military experience or completed a military department, he can be handed a summons earlier than 25 years old.
That is why 25 years in practice remain the lower limit for mass conscription. The upper limit for most military-liable persons is 60 years; the draft age in Ukraine up to 65 years applies to senior officer ranks. Men older than 60 years may join the service under contract of their own accord.
Mobilization from 1 September - who is being taken to the war in Ukraine now
Formally, from 1 September mobilization rules do not change - the draft is still governed by the same law. First of all, a summons may be received by:
men aged 25-60 years without military experience, if they do not have a deferment, exemption, or health restrictions;
men aged 18-60 years who have already served or have the status of military-liable persons, including reserve officers, if they are declared fit and do not have legal grounds for deferment;
citizens previously removed from military registration for health reasons but declared fit after a repeated military-medical commission.
Priority, as before, is given to military-liable persons with specialties that are in shortage for the army - primarily drone operators, artillerymen, signalers, as well as medics, IT specialists, and drivers.
One of the most discussed topics at the end of August was a possible change in age approaches to mobilization. In particular, mobilization of persons aged 50+ and 55+ is being considered - the secretary of the Rada committee on national security, defense and intelligence, Roman Kostenko, said that the General Staff is studying the possibility of restricting the draft of men of that age - with the exception of military-liable persons with specialties that are scarce or critically necessary for the army.
There is no final option yet; various scenarios are being discussed, and the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff do not plan to lower the minimum mobilization age below 25 years. Separately, the MP stated that other "radical measures" regarding mobilization are being prepared, without specifying details.
At the same time, the Center for Countering Disinformation under the NSDC and its head Andriy Kovalenko warned that openly fake posts about mobilization age and alleged mandatory conscription of women are spreading online, but they have nothing to do with real decisions of the Rada or the Ministry of Defense.
Against rumors of possible mobilization of women, the Verkhovna Rada committee on national security, defense and intelligence issued an official statement: there are no bills, initiatives, or even internal discussions regarding forced mobilization of women in Ukraine. The committee emphasized that women join the Defense Forces exclusively on a voluntary basis and urged Ukrainians not to fall for manipulation, relying only on official sources.
Thus, the key factors that determine who may be mobilized in September 2026 remain age, military-liable status, health condition, and the absence of legal grounds for deferment or exemption. A final decision on a possible lowering of the upper age limit for mobilization has not yet been made.
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Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Мобілізація з 1 вересня: кого призвуть у першу чергу та що буде з чоловіками віком 50+". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: UNIAN.