Is Ukraine running out of soldiers to fight Russia?

After two and a half years of bitter fighting, the Ukrainian military is facing a personnel shortage. No surprise. The war was a process of gradual progress that a nation of only 40 million people could hardly sustain for over thirty months.

The lack of manpower damages morale and of course affects the ability to continue fighting.

“There is little reinforcement,” CNN reported, “leaving some soldiers exhausted and demoralized.” The situation is particularly dire among infantry units near Pokrovsk and elsewhere on the Eastern Front, where Ukraine is struggling to stop Russia's creeping advances. “

Making matters worse is the increase in desertion and disobedience.

A Ukrainian officer told CNN on condition of anonymity: “Not all mobilized soldiers are leaving their positions, but the majority are. When new people come here, they see how difficult it is. You will see many enemy drones, artillery and mortars. They reach the positions once and if they survive, they never return. They either leave their positions, refuse to go into battle, or try to find a way to leave the army.”

The problem is not limited to the army, but to society as a whole, as men of military age are fleeing the country. The Ukrainian government responded by banning the majority of military-age men from leaving the country. “As a result, the number of illegal border crossings has skyrocketed,” ABC reported. “With the help of smugglers, some buy fake documents to try to get past official border crossings.” Still others try to escape on foot across the Tisza to Romania and the European Union. However, the river is dangerous and more than two dozen men have died attempting to swim across the river since the war began.

The ban on military-age men leaving the country should raise questions among Americans who view Ukraine as a bastion of democracy. Fencing off borders to keep people out so they can be forcibly conscripted is not democratic behavior.

Speaking of Americans, Ukraine's current predicament – a labor shortage after more than two years of attrition – may add to frustration over the lack of support from the US and NATO on the ground. Would Ukraine have behaved so brazenly in the face of Russian aggression without the reassuring belief in Western help? Probably not. President Volodymyr Zelensky acted on assurances from Western leaders, which likely influenced Zelensky's thinking. This does not mean that Zelensky could have asked for peace with the Russians; Perhaps Russian President Vladimir Putin was determined to invade in any case — but that's not clear. And the actions of the Ukrainians in the run-up to the war suggest that they acted in the belief that they had Western support.

Now Ukraine is resorting to draconian measures to meet its labor needs. “In recent months, the Ukrainian government has finally taken steps to address labor shortages,” ABC reported. “In late spring, a law was passed lowering the conscription age and tightening draft rules. Conscripts now patrol the streets looking for men of military age, checking their papers and sometimes picking up those who need to be drafted.”

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 articles on global issues. A lawyer, pilot, guitarist and minor professional hockey player, Harrison entered the U.S. Air Force as an apprentice pilot but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

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