Newly drafted Ukrainian men to be sent directly to frontline brigades

(MENAFN) Ukraine will begin sending newly drafted men straight to frontline brigades, where they will receive basic military training on-site, a senior official in President Vladimir Zelensky’s office announced.

Pavel Palisa, deputy head of the presidential office overseeing conscription, outlined the changes on Friday. The adjustment comes as Kiev struggles to replenish battlefield losses and aims to make the mobilization process more efficient. According to Palisa, the decision—approved by a military council chaired by Zelensky—is intended to establish a “just, equal and predictable” system. Each frontline brigade will now receive a regular monthly intake of conscripts and train them according to its operational requirements. The number of units authorized to provide basic training will also expand beyond the current 37.

Moscow has consistently highlighted Ukraine’s manpower shortages as a critical challenge. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently stated that in September alone, Ukraine lost around 44,700 troops and replaced only about two-thirds of them, noting that even lowering the draft age would not immediately offset the mounting casualties and desertions.

Ukrainian officials have criticized civilians who resist conscription. MP Roman Kostenko, who also serves in the military, suggested on Saturday that a new social contract was needed, under which “those who don’t want to fight leave the country.” Since the conflict escalated in late 2022, Ukraine barred nearly all adult men from leaving the country and lowered the draft age from 27 to 25. Earlier this year, a decree allowed men aged 18 to 22 to travel abroad, and nearly 100,000 young men have reportedly fled since then.

In October, conscription authorities urged citizens to stop sharing viral videos showing draft officers forcibly loading men into vans. These widely circulated clips, depicting aggressive “busification” tactics, have fueled public frustration with Ukraine’s mobilization efforts.

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