Ukrainian army struggling with manpower shortage: WSJ
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The Wall Street Journal says the Ukrainian armed forces desperately need recruits, but "political dithering" is leaving frontline units in a dire state.
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Ukrainian soldiers of the 71st Jaeger Brigade fire a M101 howitzer toward Russian positions at the frontline, near Avdiivka, Donetsk region, Friday, March 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) addressed the Ukrainian military's increasing struggle with a manpower shortage and hindered recruitment efforts due to "politics, demographics and Ukrainians' increasing reluctance to join the military."
The report emphasized that the Ukrainian armed forces desperately need recruits, but "political dithering" is leaving frontline units in a dire state, highlighting that a draft law aimed at expanding conscription is still stalled in the Ukrainian parliament after months of debate.
According to the newspaper, the law's proposed changes are "somewhat modest", as the draft age will be reduced from 27 to 25 years, soldiers will be eligible to leave the Ukrainian army after three years of service, and penalties will be imposed on men who avoid conscription.
However, the newspaper highlighted that the Ukrainian parliament is struggling against large segments of the population unwilling to fight, even to approve these amendments to the law.
The Wall Street Journal mentioned that the failure of the major counteroffensive launched by Ukraine last year and the loss of tens of thousands of soldiers have shaken Ukrainians' confidence in their ability to regain territory.
It noted that men aged between 18 and 60 have been prevented from leaving the country since the start of the war, although only those under 27 are eligible for conscription, with most of the country's youth exempted.
The newspaper confirmed that hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men continue to evade conscription. Some reported being beaten or detained for several days until they signed conscription papers.
The WSJ mentioned that groups from across the Ukrainian society are lobbying parliament for exemptions under the new law. Companies have also suggested paying a tax to keep their workers away from the front lines.
While parliament debates the amendments, soldiers and their families demand reinforcements, with about 31,000 soldiers killed in combat, as per Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, though military analysts estimate the total number to be much higher.
Moreover, tens of thousands of soldiers have been injured, many of whom are no longer fit for combat, while those who remain are drained and lack artillery shells, with shipments from the United States delayed.
Read more: Macron thinks Ukraine could fall very quickly: Politico
