Ukraine cuts 2024 draft plans, reassesses soldier needs amid war

In 2024, Kyiv had initially planned to draft approximately 550,000 recruits. However, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, announced a significant reduction in this number.

This year, Ukraine aimed to draft around 550,000 recruits, with 330,000 intended to rotate soldiers currently on the front lines, as the British newspaper "Financial Times" reported in mid-March.

"After revisiting our internal resources and reassessing the composition of the Armed Forces, we have significantly lowered this figure. We anticipate having ample personnel capable of defending our country. This includes not only those mobilized but also volunteers," General Oleksandr Syrskyi explained in a Friday discussion with the Ukrinform agency.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces highlighted the necessity of considering the human element. "People are not machines. They reach both physical and mental exhaustion. For instance, members who joined the TCC (Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center - ed.) in February 2022 now need rest and recovery. The 110th Brigade has been active in the Avdiivka sector since the onset of the full-scale invasion and requires downtime for recovery. This is a fundamental need, echoed across many units," he disclosed.

He mentioned that Kyiv is reevaluating non-combat units' staffing levels based on their operational audits. "This approach has allowed us to redeploy thousands of soldiers to combat units," he clarified.

Furthermore, the Ukrainian general remarked that "all armies globally have personnel who play a vital support role while not engaging in direct combat. This aspect of their duty is crucial. Given our conflict with the Russian invaders — a war of attrition and logistics — the efficiency of rear units is paramount. Their contribution to supplying the front lines with food, ammunition, conducting repairs, and providing medical care, among others, is critical to the success of military operations," he stated.

Syrskyi also highlighted that "new recruits aren't immediately sent to the front lines upon mobilization. Except in rare cases, like individuals with previous combat experience, the vast majority first receive training. In February this year, those in training represented 84 percent of all newly mobilized individuals," he concluded.

Source: Ukrinform/PAP