Ukraine's mobilisation strategy. A defiant stand against Putin's aggression

It would be an excellent response to Vladimir Putin's actions. According to the Meduza website, Ukraine may mobilise at least 550,000 people for arms in spring. That's a significant number, but theoretically, the Armed Forces of Ukraine could even have up to five million recruits. And these have been lacking for several months.

The draft law on mobilisation is currently in the Ukrainian Supreme Council and in the second reading. This new initiative has sparked much criticism and tension within the authorities and in society. People are scared; there is nothing new there.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has no choice. Given the difficult situation on the front, he is forced to make unpopular decisions and look for new ways to replenish the army. And it needs fresh blood and people to fight.

The president himself mentioned that the number of men mobilised might reach 550,000. These are large-scale plans that can significantly impact the economy, which is already losing a significant portion of its working-age population.

Theoretically, half a million recruits could be conscripted into the Ukrainian army, and even several times more. Let's recall that the minimum draft age was recently lowered from 27 to 25, new draft exemptions and deferrals rules were introduced, electronic summoning was implemented, and conscript service was replaced with basic combat arms training.

The law signed by Zelenskyy does not regulate the number of people to be mobilised. The Ukrainian authorities have not officially announced this amount; perhaps more will emerge once the mobilisation bill passes through parliament (the second reading started on April 9).

The authorities have not officially disclosed the size of Ukraine's mobilisation reserve. However, the Meduza website has shown credible estimates of the total number of potential recruits. According to estimates, about 3.7 million men aged between 25 and 60 in Ukraine.

The exact number remains unknown, perhaps even to the Ukrainian authorities themselves. This is mainly due to the insufficient accuracy of data on the country's demographic situation and problems with migration during the war.

It is worth noting that even if the plans to mobilise 550,000 people are realised in practice, this number would only represent one-tenth of the country's mobilisation potential. And it should suffice to face Russia effectively.

The current situation at the front is difficult for Ukrainians. Soldiers are building fortifications because the enemy is advancing from the east. According to reports from the independent Russian website Meduza, in the assessment of high-ranking representatives of Russian security structures, taking Kharkiv "would be a realistic military goal." And it would be a great defeat for Ukraine.

Moreover, at the end of March, the Russian opposition website Viorstka warned that the Russian Ministry of Defense was planning a massive army draft and was preparing for a secret mobilisation. Russia wants to strengthen its invasion forces to encircle and capture Kharkiv. Up to 330,000 people could be mobilised.

If Ukraine responds to the Russians' idea with its mobilisation and opposes them with a strengthened army, the Kremlin's plan might backfire again. And that's the point.