President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine probably changed the fates of thousands of Ukrainian men when he signed a law lowering the draft age to 25 from 27 this month, more than two years after Russia began its full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian forces are struggling to hold back the far larger Russian army, and desperately need their ranks replenished. Now many of the young men who remain in Ukraine ¡ª thousands of others have illegally fled the country ¡ª worry about their future.

Reporters from The New York Times spoke to Ukrainian men who could be affected by the change.