Shmyhal: Ukraine meets mobilization needs despite ongoing war

“The level of conscription over the past year has been stable, with a tendency to grow,” Shmyhal said. “We are mobilizing the necessary number of people to cover our losses and form small reserves.”

He acknowledged, however, that Russia’s mobilization efforts continue to replace battlefield losses, even though they are five times higher than those of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.

“For them, it is not a problem that they have lost 1 million people since the start of this war. Half of them were killed,” Shmyhal said. “They simply keep firing, burning people in the flames of war without counting their losses.”

The minister called this a challenge for Ukraine, noting Moscow also benefits from the support of North Korean troops and Iranian assistance.

On Sept. 2, the Presidential Office said lowering the mobilization age was not being considered. It added that even if a ceasefire were reached, mobilization in Ukraine would continue for some time.

On Sept. 7, Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR), reported that Russia had recruited about 280,000 soldiers on contract since the start of 2025 and mobilizes around 35,000 people each month. HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov has described the possibility of another Russian mobilization as a “serious threat” to Ukraine.