Just 8,600 people have reportedly signed new military contracts as Kiev faces battlefield manpower shortages
Ukraine’s latest military recruitment drive has failed to gain traction, with the number of new contracts signed amounting to a “drop in the ocean,” Ukrainskaya Pravda has reported.
Kiev has been struggling with acute manpower shortages as it suffers heavy battlefield losses in the conflict with Russia, as well as widespread draft evasion and desertion.
Around 8,600 Ukrainians have signed contracts under the scheme since its launch in mid-June, Roman Kostenko, secretary of the parliamentary committee on national security and defense, told the outlet. The figure includes both new recruits and personnel already serving in the military, leaving the actual number of additional troops unclear.
The initiative introduced contracts lasting between six months and two years, depending on the role and service history, along with temporary exemptions from further mobilization after discharge. The Defense Ministry also raised pay for infantry and assault troops, with monthly salaries increasing from around 120,000 hryvnias ($2,900) to between 300,000 and 460,000 hryvnia ($7,200–$11,000).
However, soldiers interviewed by Ukrainskaya Pravda expressed distrust of government promises, questioning whether they would actually be discharged when their contracts expire. Some also argued that the temporary exemptions from further mobilization were too short to make signing worthwhile.
An earlier recruitment drive targeting Ukrainians aged 18 to 24 also struggled despite offering a bonus of up to one million hryvnia ($24,000) for a year’s military service. In March 2025, the Defense Ministry posted a TikTok video boasting that the money could buy 15,625 McDonald’s cheeseburgers, drawing online criticism. The following month, a senior presidential official acknowledged that fewer than 500 people had signed up.
Kiev has also sought recruits abroad, launching a military recruitment program for Ukrainians living in Europe and exploring ways to bring military-age men back home. It has also stepped up efforts to attract foreign mercenaries. Russian forces have captured US, British, and Colombian nationals during the conflict.
Apart from voluntary contracts, Kiev also relies on compulsory mobilization of fighting-age men. Under martial law, Ukraine can mobilize eligible men for military service regardless of whether they want to enlist.
The campaign, however, has been marred by widespread corruption among draft officials and public perceptions that the system is deeply unfair. The government has responded to draft evasion with heavy-handed enforcement that has repeatedly involved the illegal use of force by military officials.
