- August 10, 2024
- 4:48 pm
- Ukraine
In recent months, Western and Ukrainian media have been actively discussing the problems with recruiting new servicemen into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, RUSI notes that this discussion often distorts reality and confuses both uninitiated and partially informed observers.
The problems of mobilization in Ukraine and ways to solve them are discussed in the material of the British analytical center on defense issues RUSSIA.
This is especially true for the facts of mobilization in Ukraine. From the end of 2023 to the beginning of 2024, amendments were made to the law “On mobilization preparation and mobilization” in Ukraine, which were supposed to simplify the procedures, but caused heated political debates. Because of this, speculations arose that Ukraine allegedly does not carry out mobilization and cannot provide its armed forces with the required number of servicemen. However, RUSI claims that such assessments are incorrect and do not reflect the real problems that Ukraine faces.
According to the Constitution of Ukraine, the protection of its sovereignty and territorial integrity is the responsibility of every citizen. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the Ukrainian government has declared martial law and declared a general mobilization, banning men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country. It is important to note that, as RUSI emphasizes, a general mobilization does not mean an immediate call-up of all men into the armed forces. It is carried out in several waves: first, the operational reserve is mobilized – that is, people who already had combat experience in confronting Russian aggression in Donbas after 2014, then former military personnel without combat experience, then people who have undergone military training at universities, and only after that – all other people who have no age or health restrictions.
In the first months of the war, in February 2022, the number of volunteers for the Ukrainian army significantly exceeded the needs of the Armed Forces, and queues formed at military registration and enlistment offices. According to RUSI, by July 2022, the number of Ukrainian defense forces reached almost a million people, most of whom were mobilized. Throughout 2022 and 2023, mobilization activities were carried out regularly to replenish losses, and the efforts in this regard were relatively minor – it was enough to send out summonses, and the required number of reservists appeared.
However, by the end of 2023, after the Ukrainian counteroffensive slowed down, difficulties with recruiting new servicemen began to arise. RUSI explains that the main reason for the decline in the number of people willing to mobilize is the realization that the war has become protracted and could last for years, as well as the lack of demobilization mechanisms. Military service began to be perceived as a “one-way ticket,” with the end of service possible only through death or disability. In such circumstances, joining the army meant effectively giving up normal life, breaking up the family, and losing a profession. After more than two years of war and with no clear prospects for demobilization, military service began to be perceived as slavery, and not as a temporary, albeit very difficult obligation.
Despite the decline in volunteers, Ukrainians still perceive the war as an existential threat, RUSI notes. Although the country's willingness to resist aggression has not diminished, the number of people willing to volunteer for the Armed Forces has decreased. This phenomenon is not unexpected, since, as RUSI points out, in other European countries, for example during World War I, the number of volunteers traditionally declined after the first year of the war.
As the number of volunteers decreased, it became obvious that the conscript registration system in Ukraine was not working satisfactorily. Military commissars often did not even have accurate information about the place of residence of potential conscripts. Mobilization began to require efforts from the government that it was not prepared for, and experiments with forced mobilization did not always bring the desired result. Public discussions of these problems did not contribute to their solution either.
However, as often happens in Ukraine, modern technology came to the rescue. Realizing the army's inability to create a unified system for registering conscripts, the Ministry of Defense launched the mobile application “Reserve+”, where every man could update information about his location, phone number, email, as well as clarify his military specialty, rank and health. According to RUSI, in the first days of the application's operation, more than a million reservists were registered, and by the beginning of July 2024, the number of registered people exceeded 2 million. Considering that before the occupation of southern Ukraine, the total number of citizens fit for military service was about 6 million, such results are more than satisfactory. There is hope that by the end of August 2024, the vast majority of reservists will be registered in the application.
RUSI also notes that in the conditions of modern highly mechanized and technological warfare, manpower without weapons and military equipment is meaningless.
Despite the positive prospects of the initiative with the Reserve+ application, which made it possible to find several million potential soldiers and improve the mobilization situation, it does not solve one of the most fundamental problems, RUSI notes. The new law “On mobilization preparation and mobilization” does not answer the question of when demobilization should take place and how many years a mobilized person should serve. In the context of a protracted war, this creates uncertainty and reduces motivation to join the army.
RUSI believes that this problem can be solved by changing approaches to the composition of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. For example, it is possible to increase the number of professional military personnel signing contracts for three, five or seven years, and to set a maximum term of service for mobilized personnel — for example, three years. Ukraine had a similar experience in 2015–2016, when mobilized personnel were replaced by professionals, while maintaining the overall size of the army. In Russia, RUSI notes, recruitment into the army is often carried out through short contracts, even for one year.
RUSI emphasizes that in a modern war, which is becoming increasingly technological, manpower without weapons and military equipment is of no importance. Ukraine needs not only to increase the number of its Armed Forces and replenish losses, but also to improve the provision of military equipment. For example, more than 30 territorial defense brigades in the Ukrainian Armed Forces are armed only with small arms and mortars, although they could become full-fledged mechanized brigades with armored vehicles, artillery, and electronic warfare equipment. The problems with the lack of weapons and military equipment also affect regular brigades. For example, 14 reserve brigades created by Ukraine cannot be deployed in combat zones due to delays in the delivery of promised equipment from partners. Thus, Ukraine's success depends not only on improving the mobilization system, but also on the quality of Western logistics, RUSI concludes.
The parallels between the mobilization in Ukraine and Israel are particularly interesting given the unique challenges facing both countries.
In Israel, mobilization is an integral part of the national security system. All citizens who have reached the age of 18 are subject to conscription for compulsory military service: men for up to three years, women for up to two. The reserve system provides a significant part of the country's defense capability, as former soldiers can be called up to 40 years (men) and 26 years (women). Mobilization in Israel is carried out quickly and efficiently thanks to a well-thought-out reserve system and developed infrastructure.
However, Israel also faces challenges in recruiting new soldiers. The main challenges are related to changes in society, where the number of exemptions from service for religious or medical reasons is increasing. This creates tension in society, as some groups of the population feel burdened with a disproportionately high level of responsibility for national security. In addition, long-term service in the reserves often poses challenges to professional and personal growth, which reduces the motivation of reservists.
Thus, both Ukraine and Israel face serious challenges in mobilization, although their contexts differ. Ukraine must address issues related to the length of service and the lack of weapons, while Israel is working to maintain a balance between mandatory service and societal changes.
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