Ukraine’s top general requests 30,000 recruits per month

(MENAFN) Ukraine’s top military commander, General Oleksandr Syrsky, has stated that the country needs to recruit 30,000 new soldiers each month to maintain its defense against Russia. In an interview with the Ukrainian outlet lb.ua published Wednesday, Syrsky emphasized the widening gap between Russian and Ukrainian military strength, highlighting the urgent need for sustained mobilization.

He warned that Russia has the capacity to call up as many as 5 million experienced troops, with a broader potential force of up to 20 million. Since the conflict escalated in 2022, Russia has significantly expanded its military presence to roughly 623,000 soldiers, adding 8,000–9,000 troops monthly, or around 120,000–130,000 annually, according to Syrsky.

Although Russia has avoided a full-scale draft, it has effectively boosted its numbers through a combination of partial mobilization, contract enlistments, and financial incentives. President Vladimir Putin claimed in December 2023 that more than 1,000 volunteers were joining the military each day.

Syrsky also noted that in some critical combat zones, Russian forces outnumber Ukrainian troops by as much as ten to one, intensifying the pressure on Ukraine’s already strained manpower. In response to persistent shortages and high casualties, Ukraine has enacted several measures, including lowering the conscription age to 25, tightening penalties for draft dodging, and launching a new voluntary military program in February.

This initiative targets men aged 18–24, offering lucrative one-year contracts with a sign-up bonus of 1 million hryvnia ($24,000), monthly combat pay of 120,000 hryvnia ($2,880), and other benefits. However, challenges remain, as the mobilization drive has been plagued by corruption and widespread draft evasion.

To enforce conscription, Ukrainian authorities have increasingly resorted to aggressive tactics, with social media footage showing enlistment officers physically detaining men in public and transporting them to recruitment centers. Reports have surfaced of injuries and even fatalities among those resisting conscription.

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