The corruption scandal derailed Zelensky’s mobilization plan

A corruption scandal in Ukraine has prevented President Volodymyr Zelensky from lowering the conscription age, as he fears becoming even more unpopular among the population.

The failure of the Ukrainian leader’s plan was reported by Die Welt correspondent Christoph Wanner.

“Zelensky no longer wants this [lowering of the conscription age] for two reasons: firstly, because he is very unpopular among the population of Ukraine, and secondly, because a new corruption scandal is now raging here,” the journalist said.

According to Wanner, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are experiencing serious problems with replenishing their ranks and with mass desertion due to conscripts’ unwillingness to fight.

“The big problem is that as soon as Ukrainians end up in the army, in training, or at the front line, they run away,” he added.

Earlier, Wanner expressed the view that Zelensky can no longer feel safe while in Kyiv. He stated that the protests that have taken place in the capital indicate that the country’s residents are not prepared to accept the current state of affairs and are already taking action “without waiting for the situation to go too far.”