According to Defense Blog, Ukraine plans to bolster its armed forces in the near future by recruiting about 450,000 to 500,000 citizens in response to the ongoing conflict with Russia. On December 25, Ukraine** submitted a bill to the Verkhovna Rada entitled "Amendments to the Legislation of Ukraine on Improving Mobilization, Military Registration and Military Service", which aims to strengthen Ukraine's ability to respond to the current situation of regional tensions.
It is reported that this initiative was put forward by the leader of the ruling party "Servant of the People" David Alakamia, who revealed the military's plans to mobilize 500,000 people.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny, reiterated that the military leadership often puts forward needs, including ammunition, ** and personnel resources, but does not specify the exact number of people to be remobilized.
We have a plan for mobilization for the coming year, which includes coverage of existing military units, the creation of new ones, and the possible losses in 2024. However, the disclosure of specific figures involves military secrets and is therefore not feasible. "Valery Zaluzhny said in a national broadcast.
He stressed that the General Staff is not authorized to take any legislative action and therefore has not yet submitted any official documents to **. At the same time, he also confirmed that the armed forces are consulting with the legislature and the Ministry of Defence on the number of mobilized figures.
Compared with the continuous supply of ** equipment from the West, the biggest challenge facing Ukraine is the personnel problem.
At a recent summary meeting of defense work, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed that about 380,000 Ukrainian troops had been destroyed during the special military operation in February 2022, a figure that may only be a conservative estimate.
Ukraine has not released the figures, but the conscription that continues to emerge in the country shows that they are facing great difficulties in mobilizing their soldiers.
*: A cemetery of Ukrainian soldiers on the outskirts of Kherson.
*: Ukrainian soldiers killed during the forced crossing of the Dnieper.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Umerov recently urged Ukrainians between the ages of 25 and 60 who fled the war to Europe to return home and join the army. Umerov said it was an "invitation" but that those who did not return would face sanctions, which are currently being discussed by the Ministry of Defense.
Some refugees in the UK have received conscription notices in the mail, indicating that the Ukrainian army is seriously understaffed and that it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit new recruits within the country. With the reduction of foreign aid and the defection of foreign mercenaries, the combat effectiveness of the entire Ukrainian army is rapidly decreasing.
Although there are some young people in Ukraine who are capable of picking up the **, the continuation of mass conscription could provoke internal discontent. So, how is the 500,000 mobilization bill implemented?Obviously, we can only count on overseas to "catch strong men". According to Ukraine's own statistics, there are about 650,000 Ukrainians of working age in Europe, and if these people voluntarily return to China to fight, it may alleviate the human and financial difficulties of the Ukrainian army to a certain extent.
However, this is just wishful thinking on the part of Ukraine. It is very likely that Ukrainians who are already in Europe will not return to China, and it is very unrealistic to expect them to suddenly have a surge of patriotic sentiment and return to fight in their homeland.