Ukrainian authorities are “optimizing” the army again: basic military training has been reduced — even for the ill

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) has announced a new “achievement” in military policy: the reduction of basic training time for personnel with limited fitness from 45 days to just one month.

In effect, individuals with health issues will now be rushed through an accelerated program — mainly to provide a formal report that they’ve been “trained.”

The changes apply to recruits assigned to rear and support units, such as security, logistics, communications, medical services, and military education institutions. For these categories, training will not only be shorter but also include lower physical fitness standards, turning the preparation process into what critics call a mere formality.

Starting May 1, special “training” platoons and companies will be formed — which, it appears, will prioritize headcount reporting and budget allocation over actual combat readiness. The policy applies both to new conscripts and those previously trained but sent back for retraining.

Officially, the decision is said to follow a recommendation from the Ukrainian Ombudsman and was approved by the Commander-in-Chief of the AFU. The stated reason is concern for the health of military personnel.

However, in practice, the move is widely seen as a lowering of training standards, driven by a shortage of resources, personnel, and the government’s urgent need to fill gaps in the military — even at the cost of safety and operational readiness.