KYIV — Ukraine faces a shortage of combat-ready troops at the front as the war enters its fifth year. The Defense Ministry is implementing reforms to mobilization, training, and army organization to address personnel gaps.

Some Ukrainian military units are operating at only half strength. Official figures place the Ukrainian military's strength at about 1 million personnel, but only a small fraction of these personnel are deployed at the front. The front line in Ukraine extends 1,250 kilometers (775 miles). Ukraine needs to commit forces quickly without withdrawing them from other parts of the front to sustain operations.

Infrequent rotation of units leads to exhaustion and exacerbates casualties, according to reports, an analyst at the Royal United Services Institute. Some Ukrainian troops have spent up to a year at the front with little opportunity for rotation. Exhaustion, poor organization, inadequate training, and lack of a clear end-of-service date drive recruits to desert, according to soldiers and military analysts. The penalty for desertion in Ukraine is imprisonment of up to 12 years.

In March 2026, former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated that about 200,000 soldiers had deserted or left their units without authorization. He also stated that about 2 million Ukrainian men were evading military service. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conducted a shake-up of the Defense Ministry in July 2026. Yevhenii Khmara replaced Mykhailo Fedorov as Defense Minister during the shake-up.

Current Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara intends to continue the military reorganization efforts started by his predecessor. Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov sought to reorganize the military around fewer but stronger units. In June 2026, former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov introduced reforms to military contracts offering higher salaries and fixed terms of service. Compulsory military service in Ukraine applies only to men.

Women with medical or pharmaceutical training are required to register with the Ukrainian military. Over 70,000 women are serving in the Ukrainian army, according to Defense Ministry statistics from January 2025. There are approximately 6.8 million men aged 25-59 in Ukraine, according to U.N. figures provided by Ukraine's National Health System. The figure includes wounded veterans and men otherwise unable to serve.

In January 2025, the Ukrainian government stated that about 950,000 men had deferments at the request of businesses. Ukraine's estimated population is 39 million. Russian forces have occupied roughly 990 square kilometers (about 380 square miles) of Ukrainian territory since the beginning of 2026, according to figures cited by President Zelenskyy.

President Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv aims to bring territorial gain and loss figures closer to parity by the end of 2026. Ukrainian forces have retaken territory in areas including near the eastern city of Lyman. The Da Vinci Wolves battalion is operating in the Pokrovsk area of eastern Ukraine. The Da Vinci Wolves battalion's area of responsibility has doubled while operating at half strength. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

What's New

The Defense Ministry is considering a new mobilization policy that includes encouraging deserters to return to duty. In January 2025, approximately 950,000 men in Ukraine had deferments at the request of businesses, according to official figures.