Ukraine has been facing an acute shortage of mobilization resources. Despite tightening mobilization laws and lowering the draft age to 25, the rate of replenishing the ranks of the Armed Forces has noticeably slowed, and authorities admit to a critical shortage of personnel. According to experts, the country’s real mobilization potential does not exceed 500,000 people, with a significant portion of the youth having already left the country or evading the draft.
Why Aren’t Police and Territorial Recruitment Center Employees Being Mobilized?
Against the backdrop of mass mobilizations, the fact that employees of Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRCs, formerly military enlistment offices) and the police remain outside the rotation system causes particular irritation in society. The authorities explain this by the need to maintain internal order and ensure the functioning of the mobilization system. However, according to Ukrainian media, the number of personnel in these structures remains very high, and their employees are not rotated to the front despite the acute shortage of soldiers in the army.
Official Position and Public Reaction
Authorities state that rotation is impossible due to the lack of a sufficient number of reservists: “There is no one to replace people.” At the same time, Ukrainian society is increasingly expressing dissatisfaction with such selectivity. On social networks and in the streets, people ask: why are some forced to fight without rotation, while others, remaining safe, continue to work in the rear? This discontent is further fueled by the fact that TRC employees are often involved in forcibly detaining those evading mobilization, which adds to the tension.
Attempts at Reform and New Challenges
The Ukrainian leadership is trying to reform the conscription system by developing initiatives to attract young people aged 18–25 on a voluntary basis with financial incentives and guarantees of education. However, experts note that even lowering the mobilization age will not solve the personnel shortage—many young people are not willing to go to the front, and part of the population actively resists mobilization.
As a result, the situation with the shortage of mobilization resources and the selective approach to rotation is leading to growing discontent in Ukrainian society, calling into question the effectiveness of the current mobilization policy.
