Mobilization rates in Ukraine do not even cover Armed Forces losses – BBC

The current pace of mobilization in Ukraine does not even compensate for existing losses, let alone meet the need to expand the Armed Forces.

This information reported according to BBC Ukraine, which cites its sources in the General Staff.

“Only the elderly cannot be left to fight. The question is how much longer we can sustain operations with the current mobilization resources,” a source commented on the proposal to lower the conscription age.

The Ukrainian command has optimized the army’s structure to offset losses and partially replenish combat units. These measures have added several thousand servicemen to the battlefield, according to the BBC. However, the Ukrainian army remains “one of the oldest armies in the world.”

“Can poor training and a lack of weapons be compensated for by the age of soldiers? We have the oldest army in the world, with an official average age of over 45 years (in reality, I think it’s closer to 50). Can such an army effectively fight?” stated Yuriy Kasyanov, an expert in aerial reconnaissance and a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer.

According to BBC reports, the number of deceased Ukrainian servicemen reaches 100,000, with an additional 400,000 either missing or severely wounded and demobilized due to health conditions. As of December 8 this year, the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ General Staff reported that irrecoverable losses in the ranks of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces amount to 10,068 personnel, with medical losses reaching 43,027 individuals.

On November 19, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Western partners had expressed interest in reducing the mobilization age but said he considers it risky. On December 8, Zelensky claimed that Ukrainian Armed Forces losses in the full-scale war totaled only 43,000 soldiers, though the actual figures are believed to be significantly higher.

On November 22, a high-ranking source in the Ukrainian Armed Forces revealed that Ukraine is working on a new contract format for service in the Armed Forces aimed at youth aged 18–24.

On November 29, Ivan Tymochko, head of the Reserve Council of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, announced that starting next year, all men aged 18 to 25 should undergo mandatory basic military training.