Individuals deemed fit for limited service are barred from joining paratrooper units
The average age of mobilised recruits joining the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is currently between 35 and 44 years. However, their stamina and performance frequently surpass those of younger personnel. This was reported by Ukrinform citing Oleksandr Kupinskyi, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
Leadership of the 199th Training Centre noted that the physical endurance of older recruits often proves superior to that of men aged 26-27. Personnel performance depends primarily on the lifestyle individuals led prior to entering military service.
During the early period of the full-scale invasion, the screening process for airborne units was far more stringent. At that time, reinforcements consisted largely of volunteers who queued outside military enlistment centres.
Changes in selection criteria during 2022-2023
“In 2022-2023, we conducted a very strict selection. Out of 100% of the individuals who arrived, we accepted 50-60%. During the selection phase, everyone took physical fitness tests; we conducted medical exams and thoroughly examined moral, psychological, and professional traits, which filtered out a great many recruits,” stated Oleksandr Kupinskyi.
The officer stressed that in modern warfare, the traditional aesthetic of a paratrooper has taken a back seat. There is no longer a need to recruit solely broad-shouldered fighters standing over 190 centimetres tall, as other qualities have become paramount.
“We will make a paratrooper out of him, provided he has the desire,” remarked Kupinskyi, adding that general physical health, mental resilience, and personal determination are the primary requirements.
Health assessments at the 199th Training Centre
Territorial recruitment centres are currently aware of the specific Air Assault Forces standards and refer suitable candidates accordingly. Individuals assessed as fit for limited service are not assigned to airborne formations.
If a mobilized serviceman believes his medical condition was insufficiently assessed by the recruitment centre, the training facility arranges an in-depth examination to evaluate the concerns.
Meanwhile, for the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a whole, recruiting personnel between the ages of 23 and 45 remains the overarching operational priority.
Photo: Ukrinform
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