Ukraine mobilizes up to 30,000 people monthly in ongoing war effort

Fedor Venislavskyi, a member of the Verkhovna Rada's defense committee, stated this at a briefing.

According to him, up to 30,000 people are mobilized in Ukraine each month, and the recruitment system is actively developing. The lawmaker claims that the number of volunteers willing to join the military service is increasing.

“Whereas volunteers used to make up about 5%, now it’s over 10%, and this number keeps growing,” the politician said.

Venislavskyi added that all new mechanisms established by law to support the mobilization process are already producing results.

“I think mobilization is happening perhaps not exactly as the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the citizens would like. But in a war that has been going on for three and a half years — a situation no modern country has faced in nearly a hundred years — we have to be realistic. Unfortunately, things don’t always go the way we want, but I believe that gradually we will get there,” the lawmaker said.

What is known about recruiting

On November 13, 2023, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense announced the launch of a recruitment project for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, enabling citizens to contribute their civilian skills and work experience in support of the military. At that time, an agreement was signed with the company Lobby X.

“The idea of military recruiting emerged immediately after the full-scale invasion, when a large wave of mobilization began and many volunteers joined the army. Often, people who responded to the call of their hearts to protect their families and country found themselves assigned randomly — to various units and positions that were often very different from their civilian professions. Over time, it became clear that they couldn’t fully utilize their life and professional experience in roles that did not match their skills and abilities. This affected their motivation,” Lobby X explained as the purpose of the recruitment project.

On November 20, the Ministry of Defense and the job platform Work.ua signed a memorandum of cooperation within the recruiting project.

Employment websites publish vacancies that Ukrainians can respond to, choosing specialties they want to serve in within the Armed Forces.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate, sees no alternative to launching new waves of mobilization for the Defense Forces. “Without mobilization, no recruitment will cover our needs,” he emphasized.

On March 14, 2024, it became known that the National Guard of Ukraine and robota.ua signed a memorandum of cooperation in recruiting.

On September 20, the Ministry of Defense reported that 6,500 volunteers are recruited monthly in Ukraine.

In 2024, over 32,000 citizens have applied to recruitment centers.

On February 6, 2025, Defense Committee member Fedir Venislavskyi reported positive trends in attracting fighters through recruitment.