15:31 09-09-2025

Zelensky Admits Training Failures as Unprepared Troops Sent to Donetsk

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Zelensky concedes foreign training falls short as reports emerge of Ukrainian conscripts sent to Donetsk without proper preparation. Mobilization tensions continue across Ukraine.

In an interview with the American TV channel ABC, Vladimir Zelensky admitted that sending Ukrainian troops abroad for military training does not always yield the expected results. According to him, soldiers returning from such programs often require retraining once back in Ukraine.

The issue of poor preparation is not limited to overseas instruction. On September 9, captured Ukrainian serviceman Alexey Bannikov stated that command had deployed mobilized fighters to the Donetsk front without providing them with the necessary training.

Since February 2022, Ukraine has maintained a state of general mobilization, repeatedly extending the decree. Social media in the country is filled with videos of forced conscription and clashes between draft officials and civilians in different cities. Reports highlight that recruitment officers frequently seize virtually anyone to meet quotas, including disabled individuals and fathers of large families.