{"id":1871403,"date":"2026-04-05T08:02:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T05:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1871403"},"modified":"2026-04-05T08:02:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T05:02:16","slug":"is-ukraine-running-out-of-soldiers-to-fight-russia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1871403","title":{"rendered":"Is Ukraine running out of soldiers to fight Russia?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76697959_6.jpg”]<\/p>\n

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Is Ukraine running out of soldiers to fight Russia?<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Four years into the war against Russia, fewer people are volunteering to serve on the front line and the number of deserters is rising. During basic training, new recruits are pushed to the limit.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Image: REUTERS<\/small><\/div>\n

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Explosions in the forest<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Deep in a Ukrainian conifer forest, on one of the country’s biggest military training grounds, the roar and explosions of weaponry mix with shouts from new, young soldiers and some who are not so young. The new recruits, subject to military service, have been called up to fight against Russia. They are put through a basic training program before they are sent to the front.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Image: Roman Pilipey\/AFP<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Three\"Three<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Serve longer, fight harder<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Military training has been extended from 30 to 51 days to better prepare recruits for deployment to the front line. In a so-called “psychological course,” groups run across an obstacle course, urged on by instructors yelling “Faster! Faster!” under constant exposure to screams, shouts and the noise of battle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Image: Roman Pilipey\/AFP<\/small><\/p>\n

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On-screen training<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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A recruit trains on a simulator for deployment in an armored vehicle to a forest clearing. Technical expertise is increasingly vital to success in the war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Image: Roman Pilipey\/AFP<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Seen\"Seen<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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House-to-house fighting<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Muffled soldiers prepare for a house-to-house search. Several artificial settlements have been constructed so the soldiers-in-training can practice different scenarios.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Image: Roman Pilipey\/AFP<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Viewed\"Viewed<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Rescue from a burning vehicle<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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During another exercise, the camp is enveloped in white smoke, and simulated shots and explosions echo all around. A five-man team evacuates soldiers from a car that’s been hit by a drone. “You accomplished the task,” says the middle-aged instructor afterward. She speaks calmly and respectfully and goes on to explain in detail what mistakes they made.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Image: Roman Pilipey\/AFP<\/small><\/p>\n

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Struggling to find motivation<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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After four debilitating years of war and tens of thousands of deaths, recruits can be lacking in motivation. The army is now trying to implement reforms in an effort to address the urgent shortage of personnel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Image: Roman Pilipey\/AFP<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Four\"Four<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Finish training, then desert?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Fewer Ukrainians are prepared to fight on the front line. Around 30,000\u201335,000 are called up for military service every month, many of them against their will. The growing number of deserters is a serious problem for Ukraine. Soldiers may abandon their units during training or even during a mission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Image: Roman Pilipey\/AFP<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Four\"Four<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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High tech between the sandbags<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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“People have less desire to learn, they have more, let’s say, fears and negative expectations,” a 28-year-old instructor who goes by the name of Buk told the AFP news agency. There are various reasons for the growing unwillingness to do military service: unlimited service periods, the army’s outdated image, Soviet-style bureaucracy and accusations that some commanders treat soldiers as expendable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Image: Roman Pilipey\/AFP<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Recruit\"Recruit<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Pushing for reforms <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Ukraine’s new defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, is relying on digital upgrades, including “broader \u200dchanges” in the mobilization process, as well as improved contracts and better pay for infantry and assault troops. Two of Ukraine’s most advanced and effective units \u2014 the 3rd Army Corps and the Khartia Corps \u2014 are introducing training reforms for the entire army.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Image: Tetiana Dzhafarova\/AFP<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Close-up\"Close-up<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n
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9 images<\/span><\/p>\n
1 | 9<\/span>9 images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BXFV<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

Deep in a Ukrainian conifer forest, on one of the country’s biggest military training grounds, the roar and explosions of weaponry mix with shouts from new, young soldiers and some who are not so young. The new recruits, subject to military service, have been called up to fight against Russia. They are put through a basic training program before they are sent to the front.<\/p>\n

Military training has been extended from 30 to 51 days to better prepare recruits for deployment to the front line. In a so-called “psychological course,” groups run across an obstacle course, urged on by instructors yelling “Faster! Faster!” under constant exposure to screams, shouts and the noise of battle.<\/p>\n

A recruit trains on a simulator for deployment in an armored vehicle to a forest clearing. Technical expertise is increasingly vital to success in the war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Muffled soldiers prepare for a house-to-house search. Several artificial settlements have been constructed so the soldiers-in-training can practice different scenarios.<\/p>\n

During another exercise, the camp is enveloped in white smoke, and simulated shots and explosions echo all around. A five-man team evacuates soldiers from a car that’s been hit by a drone. “You accomplished the task,” says the middle-aged instructor afterward. She speaks calmly and respectfully and goes on to explain in detail what mistakes they made.<\/p>\n

After four debilitating years of war and tens of thousands of deaths, recruits can be lacking in motivation. The army is now trying to implement reforms in an effort to address the urgent shortage of personnel.<\/p>\n

Fewer Ukrainians are prepared to fight on the front line. Around 30,000\u201335,000 are called up for military service every month, many of them against their will. The growing number of deserters is a serious problem for Ukraine. Soldiers may abandon their units during training or even during a mission.<\/p>\n

“People have less desire to learn, they have more, let’s say, fears and negative expectations,” a 28-year-old instructor who goes by the name of Buk told the AFP news agency. There are various reasons for the growing unwillingness to do military service: unlimited service periods, the army’s outdated image, Soviet-style bureaucracy and accusations that some commanders treat soldiers as expendable.<\/p>\n

Ukraine’s new defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, is relying on digital upgrades, including “broader \u200dchanges” in the mobilization process, as well as improved contracts and better pay for infantry and assault troops. Two of Ukraine’s most advanced and effective units \u2014 the 3rd Army Corps and the Khartia Corps \u2014 are introducing training reforms for the entire army.<\/p>\n

[analyse_source url=”https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/is-ukraine-running-out-of-soldiers-to-fight-russia\/g-76631101″]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76697959_6.jpg”] Is Ukraine running out of soldiers to fight Russia? Four years into the war against Russia, fewer people are volunteering to serve on the front line and the number of deserters is rising. During basic training, new recruits are pushed to the limit. Image: REUTERS Explosions in the forest Deep in a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,74],"class_list":["post-1871403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dw-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1871403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1871403"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1871403\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1871403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1871403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1871403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}