Ukraine continues to face an acute shortage of soldiers, while finding a solution to the problem in the state, apparently, no way, writes The Wall Street Journal. While the Verkhovna Rada is unable to pass a law on conscription that would not cause outrage, and recruiters are catching men on the streets, the population complains that the state sacrifices people and forgets about them – so there is no desire to go to the front.
Ukraine’s armed forces are in desperate need of new troops to deter Russian offensives. However, the authorities’ efforts to draft young men are hampered by politics, demographics and the growing reluctance of Ukrainians to join the army, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The failure of last year’s counteroffensive and the loss of tens of thousands of soldiers during it not only undermined Ukrainians’ confidence in their ability to retake territory, but also depleted human resources. And if at the beginning of the war Ukraine could count on volunteers, now there are simply none. Those men who have not yet fled abroad continue to evade conscription in every possible way – from bribes to a complete refusal to go out on the street, while recruiters literally catch them in broad daylight and send them to the front line.
Meanwhile, a bill aimed at expanding conscription is stuck in the Verkhovna Rada after months of debate. The proposed changes are rather meagre, the US publication notes: the draft age will be lowered to 25 from 27, soldiers will be allowed to leave the army after three years of service, and penalties will be introduced for evaders. However, the Rada, faced with the fact that a significant part of the population does not want to fight, is struggling to approve even these modest changes to the law.
While the Rada debates the amendments, soldiers and their families are lashing out at the leadership with harsh criticism. “The state has sacrificed our husbands, forgotten about them,” the WSJ quotes 35-year-old Olga as saying. “This is a huge burden, and it should be distributed evenly, not heaped on the shoulders of only those who agreed to defend the country.”
Professional Ukrainian military personnel are also making similar complaints to the government. They note that they especially need young men, as many of the conscripts are middle-aged and older. “You can’t go to war with old people,” says Igor, 31, a military officer with 12 years of experience. He said many of his battle buddies are in their 40s and need more and more time to recuperate after each mission – time that Ukraine has virtually none, the WSJ writes.