With bright blue eyes and a dagger tattoo on his temple, Mykola Lebedev has the gaze of a child but the determination of an adult: the 18-year-old Ukrainian recruit is about to throw his first grenade.

Plagued by manpower shortages since Russia invaded in 2022, Ukraine is trying to recruit even younger men to fight on the front.

Lebedev — “Kolya” to his friends — is one of those who has signed a lucrative army contract, and now being trained in a secret location before deployment in the east.

Looking on, his instructor crossed himself as Kolya pulled the safety pin and threw the grenade. The bunker trembled in the explosion.

“Congratulations, you’ve lost your virginity!” the instructor said.

Coughing and spitting on the floor, Kolya clambered to his feet with difficulty.

Around him s

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