After two-and-a-half years of vicious fighting, the Ukrainian military is facing a manpower shortfall. No surprise. The war has been a grind of incremental progress, which would be difficult for any nation of just 40 million people to sustain for thirty-plus months.

The manpower shortfall is harming morale, and of course, hampering the ability to keep fighting.

“Reinforcements are few and far between,” CNN reported, “leaving some soldiers exhausted and demoralized. The situation is particularly dire among infantry units near Pokrovsk and elsewhere on the eastern front line, where Ukraine is struggling to stop Russia’s creeping advances.”

Compounding the shortfall is a rise in desertion and insubordination.

One Ukrainian officer, speaking to CNN on the condition of anonymity, said, “Not all mobilized soldiers are leaving their positions, but the majority are. When new guys come here, they see how difficult it is. They see a lot of enemy drones, artillery, and mortars. They get to the positions once and if they survive, they never return. They either leave their positions, refuse to go into battle, or try to find a way to leave the army.”

The problem is not confined to just the army, but to the society at large, with military-age men fleeing the country. The Ukrainian government has responded by restricting the majority of military-age men from leaving at all. “As a result, the number seeking to cross the border illegally has soared,” ABC reported. “Aided by smugglers, some buy counterfeit paperwork to try to pass by official crossings.” Still, others attempt to depart on foot, across the Tisza River into Romania and the European Union. The river is dangerous, however, and more than two dozen men have died in attempts to swim across the river since the war began.

Banning military-age men from leaving the country should raise questions among Americans who have held up Ukraine as a bastion of democracy. Fencing off borders to keep people in, so that they may be compulsorily conscripted, is not democratic behavior.

Speaking of the Americans, Ukraine’s present predicament—a manpower shortage after two-plus years of attrition fighting—may exacerbate frustrations that U.S. and NATO on-the-ground support has not been forthcoming. Would Ukraine have behaved so brazenly, in the face of Russian aggression, without the soothing belief of Western assistance? Probably not. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acted with assurances from Western leaders, which likely influenced Zelenskyy’s thinking. That’s not to say that Zelenskyy could have sued for peace with the Russians; perhaps Russian president Vladimir Putin was hellbent on invading no matter—but that’s not clear. And Ukrainian actions in the lead-up to the war suggest they were acting with the belief they had Western support.

Now, Ukraine is resorting to draconian measures to meet its manpower demands. “In recent months, Ukraine’s government has finally taken steps to address the manpower shortage,” ABC reported. “In late spring a law was passed to lower the conscription age and tightening draft rules. Conscription officers now patrol the streets looking for military-age men, checking their papers and sometimes taking away those who are subject to the draft.”

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

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