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Ukraine’s Battered Army Grapples With Growing Troop Shortage
The Wall Street Journal ^ | March 24, 2024 | Nikita Nikolaienko and Ian Lovett

Posted on 03/24/2024 7:10:48 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

Ukraine’s armed forces desperately need fresh troops to hold back massed Russian offensives. But political dithering is leaving front-line units threadbare.

A bill aimed at expanding the draft in Ukraine is stuck in Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, after months of debate.

The proposed changes are rather meager: The age of conscription would be lowered to 25 from 27. In addition, soldiers would be eligible to leave the military after three years of service, and punishments would be imposed for men who avoid registering for the draft.

Yet the Rada, faced with large parts of the populace who are unwilling to fight, is struggling to approve even these modest tweaks to the law.

“We’re struggling to lower the age to 25—it’s an unpopular decision,” said Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the Rada in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s ruling party, who has been one of the law’s leading backers. “We need to increase the number of people who can be mobilized.”

Alongside a shortage of ammunition, the lack of soldiers is Ukraine’s biggest challenge in a year where commanders say their aim is to hold firm and rebuild forces. Russia, with a population more than three times the size of Ukraine’s, is expending thousands of troops each week in assaults and is able to replenish with around 30,000 fresh troops each month, according to Ukrainian military intelligence. Still, Russian forces are struggling to advance since seizing the eastern city of Avdiivka in February.

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Ukraine
KEYWORDS: draft; draftregistration
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To: EEGator

It’s probably closer to 40 million.


21 posted on 03/24/2024 9:10:32 PM PDT by Tom Tetroxide
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To: Owen

I wonder if Zelensky’s family is in Poland now.


22 posted on 03/24/2024 9:11:22 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: Tom Tetroxide

I was just referring to Biden’s new arrivals during his term.
You’re probably correct, or under, the total illegitimate amount.


23 posted on 03/24/2024 9:12:41 PM PDT by EEGator
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To: Governor Dinwiddie
Sign up to fight until you are dead or severely wounded. The Ukrainian military hardly rotates troops never mind send guys home after serving a year or two. They are depleting their forces while Russia steadily increases theirs. The bill they want to pass won't help, which is why it hasn't been passed.
24 posted on 03/24/2024 9:40:42 PM PDT by Rdct29 (The Democrats Are The New Nazi Party )
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To: rfp1234

“The 18-26 year olds must be too busy partying.”

That’s what I don’t get. They’re not drafting the prime military ages. Why? Then they whine about not enough aid. Why, another poster on this forum even called all the aid we’ve given them “miserly”. What good are weapons if there isn’t enough manpower to use them?


25 posted on 03/24/2024 10:08:39 PM PDT by rxh4n1
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To: MinorityRepublican

Just a mild snarky comment about Ukraine’s forces and women in the military. There are a lot of women in uniform in Ukraine’s military. They have ongoing problems with things bladder infections, UTI, and interstitial cystitis. Oh, and by they way, they aren’t kicking Russian asses. It’s because they are female, and they aren’t as strong and violent as males.


26 posted on 03/24/2024 10:33:07 PM PDT by Enterprise
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To: EEGator
"We have 8 million wetback criminals they can have."

We should send them to Ukraine ASAP. Upon arrival Zelensky can register them to vote and promise them citizenship.

27 posted on 03/24/2024 10:34:24 PM PDT by Enterprise
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To: Tom Tetroxide

I think it’s more if you consider the lies about how many were here before Biden.


28 posted on 03/24/2024 10:39:27 PM PDT by Gaffer
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To: MinorityRepublican

My only point was she may be draft eligible.


29 posted on 03/24/2024 10:58:06 PM PDT by Owen (.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

The problem is that conscription is now moving to the Western and Kiev regions - the Ukrainian areas*, having exhausted the Russian-speaking areas. So now, with few bodies left to sacrifice, the war becomes REAL to the people who run Ukraine.

*plenty of videos showing the ‘good life’ in Kiev over the past 2 years, for example. War, what war?


30 posted on 03/25/2024 1:30:00 AM PDT by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart, I just don't tell anyone)
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To: EEGator

I’ll raise tat offer to 20 million. Solves 2 problems at once.


31 posted on 03/25/2024 2:08:53 AM PDT by Brooklyn Attitude (I went to bed on November 3rd 2020 and woke up in 1984.)
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To: Enterprise
"...because they are female, and they aren’t as strong and violent as males."

Evidently you have never met my wife!

32 posted on 03/25/2024 2:45:01 AM PDT by Trinity5
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To: rxh4n1
What good are weapons if there isn’t enough manpower to use them?

Yukes aren't manning the weaponry. "Contractors" are.

33 posted on 03/25/2024 2:57:46 AM PDT by Sirius Lee (Tonight on The Bickersons... )
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To: Trinity5
"Evidently you have never met my wife!"

If ever I do, I will certainly be most polite.

34 posted on 03/25/2024 3:22:50 AM PDT by Enterprise
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To: MinorityRepublican

Zelensky will send every last YouCrayne Male to his Death.
That will teach Putin a lesson.


35 posted on 03/25/2024 3:38:51 AM PDT by tennmountainman ( (“Less propaganda would be appreciated.” JimRob 12-2-2023 DITTO)
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To: Owen
My only point was she may be draft eligible.

Only Ukrainian men can be drafted when they turn 27.

36 posted on 03/25/2024 6:45:15 AM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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