This article was originally published in English
As the war drags on, Ukraine is scrambling to replace exhausted troops who have spent two years on the front lines.
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Twenty-two months after the start of the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian army is struggling to find new recruits for the front line, military officials have confirmed.
“Our units are undermanned,” says Major Oleksandr Volkov, battalion commander of the 24th Brigade. “We need young people, under 40 years old and motivated.”
This was precisely the advantage Russia always had over Ukraine: more manpower, coupled with the willingness to send an unlimited number of men – prepared or not – to fight and die on the front lines.
According to Global Firepower, a website with 2023 statistics, the Ukrainian army had about 500,000 soldiers, of which 200,000 were active. In comparison, Russia has about four times as many active military personnel as Ukraine, with 1,330,900 troops and 250,000 reservists.
“Today's society has probably been deceived by some media, claiming that everything is going well (for the Ukrainian army), that we are defeating the enemy and that victory will happen in the near future,” Volkov said. “But the current situation is not that simple. The enemy is actually very strong, very powerful. And we are doing everything we can to contain and defeat it.”
Despite significant losses in both men and material, Russia has resisted the Ukrainian counteroffensive this summer, and Russian leaders are currently quite confident, as Vladimir Putin's recent comments on the conflict show.
Lack of new and young recruits
While Ukraine continues to fight for its freedom and the integrity of its territory, the war is failing to attract civilian recruits, according to Volkov.
At the beginning of the war, “everything happened with adrenaline, in a kind of exhilaration […] “Everyone rushed to the fight and there was no problem,” said Lt. Igor Prokopiak, a company commander. “But over time everything calmed down.” People had access to social networks, they saw the terrible and cruel side of the war. “That initial adrenaline went away, the brain woke up, fear set in and as a result people began to fear for their lives.”
Officers have noted that the average age of soldiers at the front has increased, and Volkov says 40% of his unit is 45 or older. Those who have been at the front for two years are exhausted, although they have not been replaced due to a lack of new troops.
In late November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country would reform its recruiting practices by working with commercial recruiting companies to bolster its ranks.
Paris and London promise unconditional support
The United Kingdom and France will support Ukraine “for as long as necessary,” British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on Tuesday at a joint conference with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna.
“I have no doubt that Putin will lose (the war), and it is important that he loses.”
“The first act was Russia's abject failure to achieve its goals. The second act was the vocal resistance of the Ukrainians, who pushed the Russians back. And of course the third act is more difficult,” Cameron said. “The fourth act still needs to be written and we need to make sure it is written correctly,” he added.
“Our two countries have been working hand in hand from the start to ensure that Russian aggression cannot be rewarded,” said Catherine Colonna.
“We hope that this cooperation can be further strengthened,” he added. “Obviously the fate of Ukraine is at stake, but also the security of the European continent.”
The continued support of Ukraine's allies is seen as crucial to the country's continued fight against Russian invasion. US financial and military aid is currently blocked in Congress, while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban blocked an EU aid package for Kiev last week.