Ukraine struggles to find manpower as weary troops stuck on frontline face Russia forces | BBC News

Frontline Ukrainian soldiers have told the BBC the Army needs to rethink how it conscripts men to fight they say that a failure to train and mobilize enough recruits means some have been fighting without a break since Russia’s full-scale Invasion more than two years ago our Ukraine correspondent James Waterhouse has the story under the green canopy of a Ukrainian spring an artillery unit waits for their next order some of these men have been fighting for months if not years my men know each vehicle says their Commander it’s like a woman with her own characteristics as Russian forces inch closer they’re hunkering down and waiting for billions of dollars worth of long delayed American ammunition to finally be delivered this time last year Ukraine Was preparing for a counter offensive but this Time It’s Different they’re preparing for what might be coming this ammunition will help but Ukraine is also grappling with trying to mobilize enough men to replace these ones Kev is widening the coolup age but radio operator Alexander who works and lives in this bunker thinks it’s more than just a numbers game if we all go home inexperienced soldiers might be able to hold the line but a lot of them will die um in the nearby city of clamator Ilia a Frontline Medic tells me officials are not honest with recruits who are thrown into the front line indefinitely with little training he thinks there should be a limit on the toughest deployments it would be more truth and effective if military recruitment office would say guy you will uh you will have super hard job infantry but for for example for half a year and then you’ll go to uh Next Level Training and you’ll got more more specific task to do ministers are trying to restore trust in the way the Army recruits whilst turning up the pressure for men to sign up inof soon is a key of MP whose partner is fighting and she thinks there are enough men to swap in and out from the front line there are more people who are not serving than those who are serving and the numbers is not even one to one it’s much bigger ratio just how much by the fact you know with the fact your husband your partner is serving how much has that shaped your view of course my understanding is shaped by by Who I Am by the fact that I you know spend countless nights worrying about where my partner is if he is okay and so on and so forth it’s an anxiety sh shared by millions of ukrainians tired soldiers are torn between needing to defend their country and wanting to go home James waterhous BBC News the dunet region

Ukraine is outgunned and outmanned by the Russian invaders, who are inching closer.

Incoming American ammunition is expected to help, but how the Ukrainian government is addressing its need to recruit is controversial.

War-weary troops have told the BBC the military needs to “rethink” how it recruits.

A new mobilisation bill passed earlier in April was criticised for not including a limit on time served. A clause aimed at demobilising soldiers after three years was dropped at the army’s request.

Despite Kyiv lowering the conscription age to find replacements, it’s not just a numbers game.

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49 comments

  4. Aww you want a break go ask Russia stop for minute there will laugh at you , you at war keep fighting, imagine these in nato there will complain and refuse do things

  6. Zelensky is making no sense at all. How he can win ?

    Macron is trying hard to save its African assets if Russia wins then all gone

    I wonder why he invited Chinese leader ? Macron your cunning is not going work for china .

  10. It's a no brainer that Ukraine is desperate for men to fight a losing cause. As the conflict prolong, less and less will be available. No? When the Ukrainian need to be recalled home, from oversea to be send to the front line, and ultimately be killed. Who would return to fight in a conflict not of their doing? PEACE was at hand in 2019, but it was NOT to be, Tragic for all involved. Event leading to the current situation.
    May 6, 2014. Ukraine Crisis 2014 | A Divided Country | The New York Times
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZvXXw_Q7FI&t=114s

    As the separatist movement in eastern Ukraine grows, the divisions within Ukrainian society become deeper as both sides prepare for a potential confrontation.
    Dec 10, 2019. Russia President Putin And Ukraine President Zelensky Sit Down For Peace Talks For First Time | TIME
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvdmnFQuXQY

    President Vladimir Putin of Russia met with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine for the first time Monday at a summit in Paris to try to end five years of war between Ukrainian troops and Moscow-backed separatists.

  12. I thought you guys were the ones saying Russia was sending untrained troops to the front as cannon fodder? Just like I said back then, you've been protecting Ukraine's actions on Russia 😂

  14. I’ve seen a few news reports in the same vein as this one. I think this I a pretence to potentially sending troops from other countries to support Ukraine.

  33. Keep in mind this is all fault of the United States. This wouldn’t have happened if the USA didn’t try getting Ukraine into NATO.

  34. Like all western media narratives this obfuscates underlying western strategy.

    Its obvious for certain EU/NATO interests to prolong the conflict as long as possible to maximise deplettion of Russian resources and provide a buffer zone between Russia/EU on its SE border.

    Similarly the Balkan states will provide a buffer on EU NE border and the West EU states/US don't care how many lives it costs. People can be replaced. This also suits Russia so this is the new status quo for 20 years.

    For millenium the ruling elites have used every possible means to maintain their hegemony whatrever the cost to the people, until the people wake up and rebel, and they will, and then the s**t hits the fan.

  37. if the US is not willing to put our troops on the ground, then we are wasting money in Ukraine. They will not win yet we continue dumping money straight down the drain. The only thing that will win this war is full scale US support. That is why you should not vote for Biden. He will continue throwing money at this and we will continue to have 0 return. This whole situation is literally Vietnam and some dumb lib soccer moms think they are saving the world by changing their FB profile pics. What a feakin joke.

  38. I've been seeing quite a lot of young Ukranian men arriving in my city/country south of Europe running away from the horrors of war and a possible draft. I fully simpathyze with them as I believe every young man is entitled to persue a life of peace and prosperity, not to fight in a barbaric war having to kill other young men that they don't even hate… What a tragedy!

  49. But I thought Russians were poorly led, poorly equipped, poorly trained and lacked morale. Why force men to fight if Ukrainians had more morale…you lies are beginning to catch up with you

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