[KARAH RUCKER]
THE WHITE HOUSE IS PUSHING UKRAINE TO SWIFTLY BUILD UP ITS TROOP NUMBERS BY CHANGING CONSCRIPTION LAWS TO INCLUDE SOLDIERS AS YOUNG AS 18 DOWN FROM THE CURRENT AGE OF 25.
THAT’S ACCORDING TO AN ANONYMOUS SENIOR BIDEN OFFICIAL WHO TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THE U-S BELIEVES UKRAINE DESPERATELY NEEDS MORE TROOPS MORE THAN IT NEEDS MORE WEAPONRY TO FIGHT OFF RUSSIAN FORCES.
ADDING, IT’S JUST “PURE MATH.”
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS DEDICATED NEARLY 60 BILLION DOLLARS IN SECURITY AID TO UKRAINE SINCE THE START OF RUSSIA’S INVASION AND EXPECTS TO SEND BILLIONS MORE BEFORE BIDEN LEAVES OFFICE IN JANUARY.
THE U-S REPORTEDLY ARGUES UKRAINE HAS THE WEAPONS AND MUST NOW RAMP UP ITS MANPOWER.
THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL SAYS UKRAINE ESTIMATES IT WILL NEED AROUND 160-THOUSAND MORE TROOPS BUT THE WHITE HOUSE THINKS IT WILL NEED MORE THAN THAT.
EUROPEAN ALLIES HAVE ALSO EXPRESSED FEARS UKRAINE LACKS MANPOWER AND SAY SOON UKRAINE WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE KURSK REGION.
UKRAINE HAS PREVIOUSLY EXPANDED THE DRAFT POOL BY LOWERING THE AGE OF DRAFT-ELIGIBLE MEN FROM 27 TO 25.
SOME UKRAINAINS ARE REPORTEDLY WORRIED LOWERING THE MINIMUM AGE OF CONSCRIPTION COULD DEPLETE THE ALREADY WAR-RAVAGED WORKFORCE.
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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.