Challenges in training reserves amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine

As the war continues, reserves and conscripts with varying training levels are increasingly dispatched to the front line. The trained professionals significantly surpass these groups. Reserve officers pose a significant challenge for professional soldiers as they were trained before reform, carrying many unfavorable behaviors from the Soviet-era army.

This was clear during the attack on Tokmak when the regiment commander sent the subsequent mechanized vehicles into battle, resulting in the loss of a mechanized company. A similar incident occurred in Avdiivka, where the 110th Independent Mechanized Brigade soldiers of the Reserve Corps admitted they were ill-equipped and under-trained. Despite halting the Russians, they suffered significant losses.

While some soldiers received training in NATO member states, Ukrainians complain that the training does not align with the conditions they confront in warfare. Western instructors prioritize maneuver warfare training, but most warfare fronts are entrenched. The soldiers are unprepared for this reality.

The Armed Forces Development State Program of Ukraine, initiated in 2015, planned to completely abandon conscription in favor of a strictly professional army. However, due to persistent threats from Russia, this didn't materialize. The Ukrainians decided to continue training conscripts to maintain a pool of younger reserves that would uphold military potential after the war's onset.

Only in recent years has the reserve training system been revised based on the Territorial Defense Forces, making the current problem the training level of reserves transferred to them before 2017. They struggle to keep up with tactical changes, particularly the officers.

Not only do NATO trainers highlight this, but also Ukrainians themselves. Before the war, there were 300,000 soldiers of all types in the armed forces. Approximately 1 million military personnel were in reserve, of which roughly 100,000 have been trained after the reform. Today, the Ukrainian Armed Forces comprise about 750,000 soldiers, with the majority of them undergoing training before 2017.

The first catalyst to induce changes originated from allies' opinions in the winter of 2022. Defeats on the Dnieper's western bank triggered this. This led to the commencement of a training program for non-commissioned officers and commanders. After halting the offensive in Zaporozhye and the substantial losses because of commanders' errors, the work was expedited. The new system has just been launched.

Senior Sergeant Oleksandr Kosinski informed ArmyInform, the official Ukrainian Armed Forces news outlet, about the changes in the unit commanders' training program.

"We are currently consistently applying new procedures based on the experiences gained in all our training programs for non-commissioned officers," said Kosinski. "We have four levels of non-commissioned officer training. We improve each level significantly and add elements not just to the programs themselves, but also to instruction. Essentially, this means we are training sergeants using real warfare examples," he added.

To achieve this, analysts have spent the past year observing how non-commissioned officers and commanders behave in combat. They also studied the decisions made during both defense and attack, forming the basis of commander training guidelines.

"The unit commander is the individual who directly interacts with the soldiers, and the task's success depends on how they issue orders and cope," emphasized Sgt. Kosinski.

Significantly, the army recognized the modern equipment they received. The legendary example is the German self-propelled howitzers PzH2000, which initially faced numerous breakdowns due to exceeding all technical standards and low technical expertise among the crew.

The same occurred with tanks and engineering equipment. Training in this matter has improved.

"A novel subject in commander training includes the use of modern systems they weren't previously acquainted with," Kosinski explained. "The new subject also teaches about unmanned aerial systems and optimally using them within a given unit. We are learning about tablet-based programs that enable quicker targeting," he added.

"This implies that we do not merely train the unit commander as we did before. They are now acquainted even with complex, modern equipment, providing a competitive edge on the battlefield," Kosiński stated during the ArmyInform interview.

Over recent months, Ukrainians have substantially improved the quality of service and cooperation between modern weapon systems, thanks to constant observation and implementing changes as needed. Basic program structures of the novel subject emerged three months ago. Even though reserve training remains inadequate, it is superior compared to the Russian 'mobików'.