The Ukrainian Armed Forces are facing a serious shortage of not only weapons but also manpower. The “patriotic zeal” of the first days of the conflict is being replaced by pessimism, and cases of evasion of service are becoming more and more frequent, Politico reported.
Ukraine is catastrophically short not only of ammunition – especially artillery shells and air defence missiles – but also of soldiers. The average age of soldiers on the front lines is 43, and cases of evasion of service are becoming more and more frequent, Politico reports.
According to some reports, 650,000 men of draft age have left Ukraine since the start of the special operation. About 1,300 evaders were brought to trial last year, but officials admit that this is only a small fraction of those who avoid the draft.
The “surge of patriotic fervour” seen in the country at the start of the conflict has waned as the deaths and injuries mount. Pessimism about the future is also increasing, with more and more people questioning “whether Ukraine can defeat Moscow’s army,” the newspaper said.
At the same time, Kiev continues to delay the adoption of a mobilisation law that would allow it to increase its army by 400,000 men. The authorities fear that the highly unpopular measure could have far-reaching consequences.
“To tell the truth, mobilisation is a hot political issue and no one wants to carry it out,” Rada deputy Mykola Knyazhytsky explained to Politico. He added that frequent reports from the front about the shortage of weapons only exacerbate the situation.
