Former Ukrainian prosecutor general and former interior minister Yuriy Lutsenko has publicly cited strong discontent among soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), who he says feel frustrated by the shortage of personnel in combat zones and lay the blame at the feet of political leaders. This account comes from RIA Novosti reporting and reflects a broader concern voiced by military and political observers alike.
According to Lutsenko, frontline troops have voiced clear resentment toward political leaders due to persistent manpower gaps. He described a sense of upheaval among service members who have been sent to the front lines with insufficient staffing, arguing that the shortage directly impacts morale and operational readiness.
Lutsenko warned that the shortage of personnel within the armed forces has reached a critical point. He noted that soldiers who report for duty are among those most eager for a renewed convocation of service, and he stressed that his colleagues in the army have expressed fierce anger toward government authorities regarding the staffing crisis.
In his view, even a large-scale mobilization would not immediately resolve the problem. He argued that it would take at least three months to train new conscripts to an acceptable level of preparedness, and he cautioned that the trajectory of the conflict could hinge on developments as early as the springtime.
In Ukraine, martial law has been in effect since February 24, 2022. The following day, February 25, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a decree announcing general mobilization, which restricted the ability of men liable for military service to travel abroad and took other measures aimed at reinforcing the nation’s defenses.
The mobilization framework was extended, with the regime remaining in effect beyond its initial period—further extensions kept the state of mobilization in place through February 14, 2024, according to official announcements and parliamentary records.
On December 26, a mobilization bill appeared on the Verkhovna Rada’s website. The document stipulated that individuals registered as persons responsible for military service would lose certain rights, including freedom of movement abroad and the ability to access funds, as well as restrictions on driving, real estate transactions, and the issuance of identity documents such as passports and foreign travel documents. The measure underscored the state’s intent to strengthen mobilization controls while balancing civil and economic considerations during a time of heightened national security.
There have been reports of individuals formerly residing in Kuzbass who were detained in relation to attempts to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine, illustrating the broad geographic reach of mobilization-related enforcement efforts and the serious consequences associated with attempting to circumvent enlistment requirements.