Ukraine faces troop shortage, top commander says

Ukraine is facing a shortage of military personnel, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said, as he assessed the country’s mobilisation efforts at 6 to 7 out of 10.

Speaking in an interview with ICTV, Syrskyi emphasised that the most pressing issue is the lack of trained servicemen capable of fulfilling their duties. He noted that mobilisation continues to serve as the primary source of personnel for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“Our task here is to ensure that this process is as comfortable as possible for those being mobilised into the army. There must be no violations of the law and no breaches in the procedures used during mobilisation,” he said.

At the same time, Syrskyi stressed the need to improve both the quality of training and the level of motivation among recruits. He said he would like to see more motivated individuals “who do not leave their units and carry out all assigned tasks.”

Ukraine has been operating under a general mobilisation regime since February 2022, following the escalation of the conflict. The measure has been extended multiple times. Initially, conscription applied to men aged between 27 and 60, but in April 2024, the minimum age was reduced to 25. In May 2024, new legislation came into force, tightening the rules governing mobilisation.

By Tamilla Hasanova