We need to mobilise another 450,000-500,000 people – Zelenskyy

Ukrainian military officials proposed at a recent meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Staff that an extra 450,000-500,000 people should be mobilised, but the issue is still being worked on, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Source: Zelenskyy at his end-of-year press conference on 19 December

Quote: "This is a question from our military, the Chief of Staff and the General Staff. They raised the issue of mobilisation at a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. A very sensitive issue, I think. They appealed regarding the defence of our state, potential counter-offensive actions and the shortage [of people]. And they suggested mobilising an additional 450,000-500,000 people."

Details: Describing these numbers as "very significant", Zelenskyy said he had told the Staff that he needed more arguments to support the move because "this is a question of people, fairness, defence capability and finances".

Quote: "I need details about people, because what will happen to the million-strong army of Ukraine − very powerful, I believe − what will happen to those guys who are there (at the front) every day, at least, what will happen to those who have been defending our state for two years? We have questions regarding rotation; there is the question of leave; that is, there should be a comprehensive plan, and you need to provide me – and above all society – with answers in this mobilisation law."

Details: Zelenskyy said that the military has begun to work on this plan, but he "hasn’t seen demobilisation in it yet", even though he considers it the number one issue.

Quote: "The question is not what this process is called in law; the main thing is that this process is fair to our powerful warriors. It’s very hard for them there, I’ve been there many times. I would really like our military leadership to understand these challenges. We cannot lose the most courageous people: we must also get mobilisation processes going. There must be specifics and great respect for the warriors. They need to cover the issues of work trips, leave, opportunities to transfer from one place to another. All the requests that the military has must receive a response from the military leadership."

Zelenskyy said the military has asked the Ministry of Defence to get Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov involved in the digitalisation of some processes, "because there are people both in Ukraine and abroad, this is a very difficult process."

"For me, this is very important: if it’s 440,000 more, then who deserves the right to rest? And this is a very important point. Without this, it won’t work," the President said.

Zelenskyy said the military should prepare a comprehensive plan at the Staff, then talk about this issue at the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament), which should approve the relevant legislative amendments.

Quote: "We cannot lose resilience or potential, but we need fairness. And as for the funds − mobilisation in this format will cost Ukraine an additional UAH 500 billion (approx. US$13.4 billion). So as the President of Ukraine, as someone who spends a lot of my time sourcing financial support, I would like to hear from the Minister of Finance regarding where the money will come from."  

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