Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

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
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-36 next last

1 posted on 03/24/2024 7:10:48 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

The Zeepers are willing to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian life, no matter how many Ukrainian lives it takes.


2 posted on 03/24/2024 7:13:23 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (The worst thing about censorship is █████ ██ ████ ████s████ █ ███████ ████. FJB.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

We have 8 million wetback criminals they can have.


3 posted on 03/24/2024 7:13:30 PM PDT by EEGator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

27? That’s amazingly high for a country at war. The 18-26 year olds must be too busy partying.


4 posted on 03/24/2024 7:13:34 PM PDT by rfp1234 (E Porcibus Unum )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

Time for the NeoCons’ kids to be sent. The more the better.


5 posted on 03/24/2024 7:15:08 PM PDT by Trumpisourlastchance
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rfp1234
The 18-26 year olds must be too busy partying.

Not that many of them anyway due to demographics.

6 posted on 03/24/2024 7:15:32 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum
Yet the Rada, faced with large parts of the populace who are unwilling to fight

The Ukrainians don't want to fight for Lindsey Graham anymore.

7 posted on 03/24/2024 7:16:47 PM PDT by Right_Wing_Madman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

“ The proposed changes are rather meager: The age of conscription would be lowered to 25 from 27.”
*********************************************************************

The change from 27 to 25 would result in SLIM PICKINS. A Quick Look at a Ukrainian population “pyramid” (it is no longer a pyramid… young adults in their 20’s have mostly left) reveals just how bad their draftee availability is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Ukraine#/media/File:Ukraine_2023_population_pyramid.svg

In the face of the possibility of this new law, I suspect the remaining young adults want to get out before being sent to the meatgrinders.


8 posted on 03/24/2024 7:23:54 PM PDT by House Atreides (I’m now ULTRA-MAGA-PRO-MAX)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican
"Ukraine’s Battered Army Grapples With Growing Troop Shortage"

Then they need to stop sending the ones they do have, off on missions to conduct terrorist attacks in Russia, only to get caught.

9 posted on 03/24/2024 7:30:49 PM PDT by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: House Atreides
The change from 27 to 25 would result in SLIM PICKINS.

Zelensky knows that. So that's why he didn't change the law to mobilize more troops.

I suspect the remaining young adults want to get out before being sent to the meatgrinders.

All they have to do is to pay a bribe to get out of the country. I think most of us will do that if we're in that situation.

10 posted on 03/24/2024 7:30:52 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican
What? No one is willing to sacrifice his life in order to protect the lifestyle of the grifting Ukrainian oligarchs?

11 posted on 03/24/2024 7:34:44 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EEGator

My thoughts exactly. Mexicans, Columbians, Venezuelans, Bolivians will up their DEI quota, win-win for the Ukes.


12 posted on 03/24/2024 7:39:03 PM PDT by Veto! (FJB Sucks Rocks)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Veto!

Most of them have probably shot someone already.


13 posted on 03/24/2024 7:40:59 PM PDT by EEGator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Veto!

Time to talk peace...fully.


14 posted on 03/24/2024 7:42:11 PM PDT by rovenstinez
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: All; MinorityRepublican

What is the age “upper limit” for UKR draft registration I wonder?


15 posted on 03/24/2024 7:45:18 PM PDT by Drago
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican
The age of conscription would be lowered to 25 from 27.

In a country that has lost half its population from 20 years ago, as refugees, killed, wounded or in territory occupied by Russia, how much difference will 2 years in age make? Maybe 100K able-bodied men - if they can even be found?

16 posted on 03/24/2024 7:45:32 PM PDT by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

They are grappling with manpower shortages ,Vlad’s meat grinder. Senile Joe and Nuland suckered the West into thinking the Russian Federation was Soviet Russia….times have changed, it is rather obvious the West are now the weak ones- as we are witnessing.

Leadership is everything.


17 posted on 03/24/2024 7:52:12 PM PDT by delta7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MinorityRepublican

Zelensky’s Run - turn 25 ... last day ... enter Carousel.


18 posted on 03/24/2024 8:45:59 PM PDT by HombreSecreto (The life of a repo man is always intense)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

Zelensky’s daughter is 19. Son 11.


19 posted on 03/24/2024 8:56:30 PM PDT by Owen (.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: EEGator

It’s probably closer to 40 million.


20 posted on 03/24/2024 9:10:32 PM PDT by Tom Tetroxide
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-36 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson