the same year, however, the UN reported that other armed groups in the Philippines continue to recruit children, mainly between the ages of 13 and 17. Europe According to Child Soldiers International the trend in Europe has been towards recruiting only adults from age 18; most states only allow adult recruitment, and no armed groups were known to be using children. one country, the United Kingdom, was enlisting children from age 16, and five were enlisting from age 17 (Austria, Cyprus, France, Germany, and Netherlands). Of these, the UK recruits children in the greatest numbers; in 2016, approximately a quarter of new recruits to the British army were aged under 18. All European states have ratified the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, and so child recruits are not typically used in hostilities until they reach adulthood. Children were used as combatants in the First Chechen War during the 1990s. Austria Austria invites male children to begin their adult compulsory military service one year early, at age 17, with the consent of their parents. Cyprus Cyprus invites children to begin their adult compulsory military service two years early, at age 16, with the consent of their parents. France France enlists military personnel from age 17 and 6 months, and students for military technical school from age 16; 3% of its armed forces' intake is aged under 18. Germany Germany enlists military personnel from age 17; in 2015 6% of its armed forces' intake was aged under 18. Netherlands The Netherlands enlists military personnel from age 17; in 2014 5% of its armed forces' intake was aged under 18. Ukraine During the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine in 2014 Justice for Peace at Donbas documented 41 verified individual cases of child recruitment into armed formations. Of those 37 concerned the participation of children in armed formations on territory not controlled by Ukraine and 4 on territory controlled by Ukraine. There were 31 further reports of child recruitment which could not be verified. Of the 37 verified cases on territory not controlled by Ukraine, 33 were boys and 4 were girls; 57% were aged 16–17, 35% were under 15, and age could not be determined in 8% of cases. In December 2022, Andrii Yusov, a representative of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, stated 17-years-old have been drafted by the Russian military in occupied territories. United Kingdom The British armed forces