Kyiv: Ukraine is considering a substantial augmentation of its military forces, aiming to mobilize an extra 500,000 personnel as requested by the military leadership, as reported by Pidlasa via New Voice of Ukraine.
However, this expansion comes at a considerable financial cost, estimated at nearly $19 billion (UAH 700 billion), according to Roksolana Pidlasa, the head of the parliamentary Budget Committee. In a recent interview with the Ukrainian NGO Centre for Economic Strategy, Pidlasa outlined the financial implications of such an extensive mobilization effort.
The proposed mobilization of 400,000 to 500,000 new recruits within the year would necessitate an immediate additional outlay of UAH 322 billion ($8.6 billion) to cover essentials such as uniforms, training, sustenance, and wages for the conscripts.
Furthermore, the Defense Ministry underscores the need for additional investment in the procurement and modernization of military equipment to adequately equip the new forces, amounting to around UAH 400 billion ($10.7 billion).
Pidlasa stressed the enormity of the required funding, stating, “We are talking about an additional need for 2024 of around UAH 700 billion; we need to understand that UAH 700 billion is a colossal sum: it’s about 22.5% of all our expenditures in 2024 and 41% of our defense spending.”
This financial challenge follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s December 2023 announcement that the country’s military leadership sought the mobilization of an extra 450,000 to 500,000 individuals to reinforce Ukraine’s defense capabilities amid ongoing conflicts.
The nation now confronts the formidable task of financing this extensive mobilization effort, underscoring the significant economic strains posed by the prolonged military engagement.
