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Croatia's military draft sparks surprise interest among youth
The Straits Times
|March 11, 2026
Croatia is resuming mandatory military training after nearly two decades, with the initial recruits joined by far more volunteers than officials were expecting.
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Recruits arriving to begin basic training in Slunj, Croatia, on March 9. The authorities aim for most men born in 2007 - about 20,000 - to be trained in batches by the end of 2026, with subsequent generations after that.
(PHOTO: EPA)
Beginning this week, 800 Croats will fan out across three sites, where they will learn a range of combat skills, from shooting an assault rifle, to Krav Maga defence and operating drones. Around half of them are volunteers, and the other half were drafted.
The authorities aim for most men born in 2007 - around 20,000 individuals - to be trained in batches by the end of 2026, with subsequent generations called up after that.
As Russia's war with Ukraine grinds into a fifth year, countries around Europe are boosting their defences, increasing military spending and introducing military service programmes, with Germany pledging to build Europe's strongest conventional army.
This story is from the March 11, 2026 edition of The Straits Times.
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