Ukraine needs increased mobilization, since no recruiting will be able to provide the required number of personnel.
Kyrylo Budanov said this at the discussion panel "2024: challenges and prospects".
"In total, the Defense Forces of Ukraine now make up — the name is a somewhat arbitrary number, because we have approached the state secret — one million one hundred thousand people. No recruiting can cover such volumes. Only mobilization," said Budanov.
In his opinion, the motivation of the mobilized is important, because the coefficient of useful action depends on it. He emphasized that it is necessary to reject the idea that mobilization can be avoided.
"It is necessary to reject such thoughts that it is possible to withdraw from mobilization. Can not. We donʼt have that many people willing to do anything. Iʼm not talking about fighting anymore. And this is current. There will be losses, and this amount must be kept constant," Budanov noted.
Before the full-scale invasion, Ukrainians avoided military service due to low salaries, in particular, however, now financial reward is no longer a motivating factor to join the army, despite the availability of financial support.
"For me, as a military man, a certain gap is obvious. In our country, the majority of people never felt that they were citizens of Ukraine. They have no sense that the enemy has captured our territory and that each of us has a sacred duty to defend the country. Thatʼs why these "Lviv boilers", "Polish voivodship" or something else appear," the head of the GUR said.
Budanov considers this a complex problem, the solution of which requires proper social dialogue and justification.
- Recently, the issue of mobilization and demobilization was discussed at the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that "everyone in Ukraine understands": changes are needed in the field of mobilization. According to him, "this is not just a question of the number of those who can be mobilized", but a question of the terms of demobilization for those who are already serving and for those who will join the army.