The draft law on new mobilisation rules is not only extremely unpopular among Ukrainians tired of war and corruption scandals in the army, but may also be economically unaffordable for Kiev, Politico writes. According to Volodymyr Zelensky, mobilising about half a million people would cost about €12bn.
The colossal strain that the conflict in Ukraine has put on the country is reflected in the conflict over a highly unpopular mobilisation bill, Politico writes. On Thursday, Ukraine’s cabinet withdrew a high-profile bill on new mobilisation rules from the Verkhovna Rada. The cabinet is expected to submit a revised draft law to the Rada soon, taking into account suggestions from lawmakers.
Kiev notes that the Ukrainian army will need about half a million additional men this year, which would allow the exhausted soldiers on the front line to rest, as well as to continue military operations. However, the bill is so unpopular among Ukrainians that politicians are afraid to take responsibility for it. Even Volodymyr Zelensky prefers the mobilisation bill to be proposed by the government rather than himself.
According to the newspaper, months of military action that cost thousands of lives but did not bring significant results, corruption scandals in the army and a sense of fatigue both within the country and among Ukraine’s allies have led to the fact that the initial enthusiasm of Ukrainians to join the AFU has evaporated.
Moreover, Kyiv is increasingly talking about the economic consequences of a new large-scale mobilisation for the country. Almost the entire state budget of Ukraine is spent on the country’s military efforts, and the rest of the economy is financed by aid from the EU and the US. But as that aid has now come into question, Kiev has to find a balance between bringing in new soldiers and keeping the economy and military industry afloat.
According to Zelensky himself, mobilising about half a million people would cost about €12 billion and, given that it takes six Ukrainians paying taxes to pay the salary of one soldier, the country is short of about 3 million working people.