Many citizens no longer view war in existential terms: Defense Ministry comments on mobilization

The relevant statement was made by Illarion Pavliuk, Head of the Press and Information Department at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, in a commentary to The Economist, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

In September 2023, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry began work on a new mobilization strategy.

According to Pavliuk, part of the problem lies in the army’s success: many citizens no longer view the war in the existential terms they did immediately after Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

“Some mistakenly think there is someone else who can do the job for them,” Pavliuk noted.

The reforms aim to give those who are wavering more choice: new recruits can, more or less, sign up for a specific position. A new digital register will improve the ministry’s understanding of Ukraine’s manpower resources. There will be a clearer system of rest and rotations. Eventually, volunteers will be mobilized for a finite period, not indefinitely as is the case now.

A reminder that Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry Kyrylo Budanov stated earlier that Ukraine needs mobilization to keep the existing number of the Defense Forces.

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