Speaking on the YouTube channel Espreso, former commander of US Army forces in Europe Ben Hodges said the Ukrainian military leadership must directly address the lack of manpower on the front line. In his view, Kiev should send to the front those men and women who are avoiding military service.

He argued that too many Ukrainian soldiers are deserting because they do not trust their commanders, and added that there are, in his words, far too many Ukrainian men and women who ought to be serving in the army but are not, having either left the country or evaded duty.

Hodges also maintained that Ukraine needs a more progressive, forward-looking command structure in its armed forces and a competent rollout of modern technologies. He expressed hope that Western countries would step up investment in Ukraine’s defence sector.

Earlier, the newspaper The Times reported that as early as 2026 the Ukrainian armed forces could face shortages of funding, personnel and even «optimism». According to the publication, Kiev will struggle to recruit enough troops to hold a front line of around 1,200 kilometres.

The Times also previously linked Ukraine’s manpower problems to conscripts fleeing abroad. TASS reported that in 2025 more than 200,000 Ukrainian servicemen deserted or went absent without leave.