bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Reuters

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said the military had proposed mobilising 450,000-500,000 more Ukrainians into the armed forces in what would mark a dramatic step up of Kyiv’s war with Russia.
The Ukrainian leader told his end-of-year news conference on Tuesday it was a “highly sensitive” issue that the military and government would discuss before deciding whether to send the proposal to parliament.
Zelensky said he wanted to hear more arguments in favour of mobilising the additional people before backing such a move.
“This is a very serious number,” he said.

Ukraine has been at war with Russian troops since February 2022. Both sides treat their casualty numbers as a state secret, but US officials estimate that hundreds of thousands have been killed and wounded.
Ukraine’s troop numbers are not known, but it has said in the past it has around 1 million people under arms. Russia has been expanding its army during the war and said on Tuesday it planned to boost its ranks to 1.5 million service members.
What if Putin wins? US allies fear defeat as Ukraine war aid stalls
“I said I would need more arguments to support this move. Because first of all, it’s a question of people, secondly, it’s a question of fairness, it’s a question of defence capability, and it’s a question of finances,” Zelensky said.
Such a major mobilisation would cost Ukraine the equivalent of US$13.4 billion. Zelensky said that Ukraine may not be able to afford mobilising huge numbers, explaining that roughly six taxpayers were needed to finance one soldier.
“How do we find three million more taxpayers from January on?” Zelensky asked.
Ukraine, which initially saw tens of thousands of volunteer fighters queuing up to defend their country from Russia’s invasion, is now trying to conscript more men to replace those currently at the front.
There have been discussions behind closed doors for weeks on how to improve the draft process. Some Ukrainians have reacted angrily to social media videos showing draft officers handing out call-up papers at gyms and resorts.
The Ukrainian leader ruled out mobilising women, but said he could agree to lowering men’s conscription age from 27 to 25.

There has been tension between Zelensky and the head of the army.
This week, army chief Valery Zaluzhny criticised a decision, made by Zelensky, to fire the heads of the regional military draft offices amid a crackdown on corruption this summer.
The front line has barely budged this year as a Ukrainian counteroffensive ran up against sturdy Russian defences. Now, with winter setting in, troop movements are being slowed by bad weather, placing greater emphasis on artillery, missiles and drones.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said earlier Tuesday that the Kremlin’s forces have taken the initiative in Ukraine and were well positioned for the coming year.
“We are effectively doing what we think is needed, doing what we want,” Putin told Russian military brass. “Where our commanders consider it necessary to stick to active defences they are doing so, and we are improving our positions where it’s needed.”
Putin says Russia ready to talk on Ukraine during defence meeting in Moscow
The question of how long Western countries will provide essential support for Kyiv has also grown increasingly urgent.
Zelensky last week embarked on a tour of Western countries to make the case for more military and political support as Russia’s invasion grinds closer to its two-year-anniversary in February.
But he failed to convince the US Congress to immediately approve US$60 billion in support, while in Brussels, Hungarian leader Viktor Orban blocked and aid package of around €50 billion (US$55 billion).
Zelensky said that he wanted to organise talks with Orban to “find solutions” to their differences, and voiced confidence that Washington would follow through on aid.
“I am confident that the United States will not betray us,” he said.
Additional reporting by Associated Press and Agence France-Presse


Russia launches ‘record’ 267 drones on Ukraine, says Ukrainian military

Trump wants money back for Ukraine aid: ‘rare earth and oil, anything we can get’

Putin, China’s Xi to discuss US-Russia talks held in Saudi Arabia: Kremlin

Trump says Russia attacked Ukraine in U-turn, predicts deal on minerals soon

Ukraine war

Ukraine considers army proposal to mobilise another 500,000 for war with Russia

A Ukrainian serviceman in a T-72 main battle tank. Ukraine has been at war with Russian troops since February 2022.  Photo: Reuters

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at his end-of-year news conference. Photo: Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking to military brass in Moscow. Photo: EPA-EFE

Putin says Russia ready to talk on Ukraine, with US, EU, but will defend its national interests, during defence meeting

Russia’s Vladimir Putin has indicated that he would be willing to discuss a solution to the Ukraine war. Photo: Kremlin/dpa

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an expanded meeting of the Defence Ministry Board at the National Defence Control Centre in Moscow. Photo: Kremlin via Reuters

What if Putin wins? US allies fear defeat as Ukraine war aid stalls

Russian President Vladimir Putin during his annual news conference in Moscow last week. Photo: AP

Ukrainian forces fire a Swedish-made Archer self-propelled howitzer at Russian positions. Photo: Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House on December 12. Photo: AP

Military recruitment billboards in St Petersburg, Russia. Photo: EPA-EFE

US intelligence assesses Ukraine war has cost Russia 315,000 casualties

The Russian army began the war with 3,100 tanks, but lost 2,200 of them, the US source said. File photo: AP

A huge Z letter – a tactical insignia of Russian troops in Ukraine, in front of the US embassy in Moscow. Photo: AFP

The Russian army began the war with 3,100 tanks, but lost 2,200 of them, a US source said. File photo: AP

Ukrainians prepare for long war. Will the West stay the course?

Ukrainian servicemen take part in military training. Photo: AFP

Ukraine vs Russia: neither side has landed a telling blow on the battlefield. Photo: Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: AP

News

World

Europe

Russia & Central Asia

Mobilising hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians is ‘highly sensitive’, Zelensky says
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his satisfaction with the course of the war


The Ukrainian army is struggling to find new recruits to battle Russian forces that are once again on the offensive.


Vladimir Putin

Russia

Ukraine

War and conflict

Ukraine considers army proposal to mobilise another 500,000 for war with Russia

Mobilising hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians is ‘highly sensitive’, Zelensky says Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his satisfaction with the course of the war

Mobilising hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians is ‘highly sensitive’, Zelensky says

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his satisfaction with the course of the war