However, the dwindling troop numbers issue has reportedly become acute as Kyiv girds for an expected summer offensive by the Kremlin’s forces.
The initial enthusiasm for going out to fight against the Kremlin’s forces has waned, though public support for the war remains high.
Ukraine currently forbids men younger than 60 from traveling abroad. Some Ukrainian men are evading the draft by hiding at home or trying to bribe their way out of the battle.
Commanders say they don’t have enough soldiers to launch offensives, and barely enough to hold positions during intensifying Russian assaults.
Russia‘s population is more than three times as large as Ukraine‘s, and President Vladimir Putin has shown a willingness to force men to the front if not enough volunteer.
Zelensky has rarely mentioned the mobilization issue, and parliament attached more than 1,000 amendments to the mobilization bill he signed.
Last December, Zelensky said Ukraine‘s military wanted to mobilize up to 500,000 more troops. But he said he had asked the top brass to spell out the details on what is « a very sensitive matter » before deciding whether to grant their wish.
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