Soldier Shortage in Ukraine: "No One Wants to Die in Vain"
The shortage of soldiers in Ukraine is becoming increasingly acute. Around 200,000 army personnel have reportedly deserted, and ten times that number are evading service.
"There simply aren't enough people," says an anonymous source at the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence.
The Da Vinci Battalion, fighting near the city of Pokrovsk, is one of the units suffering from a severe shortage of soldiers.
"The equipment and manpower we have are barely enough to hold the sector we currently occupy," the battalion's deputy commander, known by the call sign "Afer," tells the news agency AP.
In Ukraine, all men between the ages of 25 and 60 can be conscripted for military service. However, this pool of men is steadily shrinking, not least because many have fallen in the war, which is now in its fifth year.
Inadequate training
The Ukrainian military is attempting to replace losses, but around two million men are evading mobilization, according to AP. Some are apprehended when spotted on the streets of Ukrainian cities by military recruitment patrols. Additionally, around 200,000 soldiers have reportedly deserted—thereby risking up to twelve years in prison.
Inadequate training and exhaustion are two factors driving soldiers to desert, according to soldiers and military analysts. The consequences are immediately apparent at the front, where soldiers are exhausted. The Da Vinci Battalion is currently fighting with only about half its full strength. At the same time, the area the battalion is responsible for has doubled in size.
"Advancing would inevitably result in heavier losses," says "Afer."
There are significant differences between various units, according to Lieutenant Colonel Joakim Paasikivi. Units with the poorest equipment and the worst commanders also have the highest number of deserters.
"Soldiers are prepared to make great sacrifices and risk their own lives. But no one wants to die needlessly because of a bad commander," Joakim Paasikivi, a senior geopolitical advisor at Mannheimer Swartling, tells TT.
**Increased soldiers' pay**
Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov sought to reinforce high-performing units and disband weaker ones. His successor, Yevheniy Khmara, has stated that he intends to continue with those reforms.
Last summer, Zelenskyy presented a plan that included, among other things, increased pay for soldiers and clear time limits for military contracts. A promise was also made regarding an amnesty period of at least six months before demobilized soldiers could be compelled to serve again. The question remains whether this will solve the problems.
"I think it is a mistake to view this as a case of reforms arriving to solve everything. This is an ongoing process," says Paasikivi.
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