The Washington Post reports, citing estimates from unnamed Ukrainian and Western officials.
At the same time, the publication claims that Ukrainian military personnel are criticizing the government for a "slow and uncoordinated mobilization campaign." According to soldiers whose names are not disclosed by journalists, Ukraine initiated the draft too late, when units were already "seriously undermanned after months without replacements."
They also assert that there has been an increase in desertions because "people are no longer volunteering to fight; they are being forced." Furthermore, they claim that Ukrainian losses on defensive positions were allegedly greater than during offensives.
One anonymous Ukrainian officer also criticized Kyiv for "waiting so long" to start mobilizing former prisoners, although Russia had begun doing so in the early months of the war.
Recall that during a speech in the Verkhovna Rada on October 29, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Lytvynenko stated that mobilizing an additional 160,000 people would allow units to be filled to 85%. Currently, according to him, the Defense Forces have already drafted 1 million 50 thousand citizens.
At the same time, Zelensky expressed surprise that Lytvynenko disclosed such data, noting that Ukraine has mobilized insufficient numbers of people after the mobilization law was enacted.