Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that the military has suggested mobilizing between 450,000 and 500,000 additional Ukrainians into the armed forces, which could represent a significant escalation in Kyiv's war with Russia. In a year-end press conference, the president noted that this is a "very sensitive issue" that the military and government will discuss before deciding whether to send the proposal to parliament.
Zelensky expressed that he wanted to hear supportive opinions about the decision to mobilize more Ukrainians before endorsing such a move. He added, "It's an extremely large number." Ukraine has been at war with Russian forces since 2022, and both sides handle casualty figures as state secrets, with U.S. officials estimating casualties in the hundreds of thousands.
The exact number of Ukrainian troops is unknown, but they previously stated they had around one million armed soldiers. Russia has expanded its military during the war and stated on Tuesday that it plans to bolster its ranks to 1.5 million soldiers.
Zelensky stated: "I said I would need more supportive opinions on this step because, first of all, it is a matter concerning the people; secondly, it is a matter of justice, a matter of defense capability, and a financial issue." Initially, Ukraine saw tens of thousands of volunteer fighters lining up to defend their country from the Russian invasion, and is now trying to recruit more to replace those currently at the front.
There have been closed-door discussions for weeks on how to improve the recruitment process. Some Ukrainians reacted angrily to social media videos showing recruitment officers distributing call-up papers in gyms and resorts. Zelensky noted that an additional 500 billion hryvnias (13.5 billion dollars) is needed to support the military mobilization proposal and is also seeking more details on how the forces would be utilized to combat Russia.
Tensions have arisen between Zelensky and the military chief. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, criticized Zelensky's recent decision to dismiss regional military recruitment office heads amid a summer anti-corruption campaign.
