Mobilisation will cost Ukraine extra US$13.4 billion – Zelenskyy

The mobilisation of an additional 450,000-500,000 people will cost Ukraine UAH 500 billion (about US$13.4 billion).

Source: Zelenskyy at his end-of-year press conference

Details: Zelenskyy said that at a previous meeting, the military had proposed that an additional 450,000-500,000 people be mobilised, but this issue is currently being worked on.

Describing the figure as "very significant", Zelenskyy said he had told the Staff that he needed more arguments to support the move because "it is a matter of people, fairness, defence capability and finances". He also raised the issue of demobilising part of the army that has been defending Ukraine since the full-scale war began.

Quote: "Mobilisation in this format will cost Ukraine an additional UAH 500 billion. So as the President of Ukraine, as someone who spends a lot of my time sourcing financial support for Ukraine, I would like to hear from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance regarding where the money will come from."

Reminder: 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, Zelenskyy said.

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