Ukrainian Defense Minister Pavlo Lebedev has noted positive trends in the transition to the contract-based staffing of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
"The number of contract servicemen has grown by 3,700 since the beginning of this year (including those retired) and reached 49,100 on September 1 this year. This is 58.3 percent of the total number of posts for privates and sergeants," he said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
He noted that the last conscripts of the Ukrainian Navy were sent to the reserve on October 14.
“Therefore, our naval forces are already fully staffing the posts of sailors, soldiers, sergeants and petty officers exclusively with contract servicemen,” Medvedev said.
In general, according to the minister, the trends are positive.
“The number of those wishing to enter military service on contracts and those accepted for such service has increased,” he said.
As for the problems in this area, in his opinion, it is premature to talk about them.
“First of all, this process has only just begun. Secondly, today’s dynamics of staffing our Armed Forces with volunteers who chose military service on contracts as their profession indicates that this replacement is within our power. And, thirdly, we have quite significantly improved motivations for our future contract soldiers,” Lebedev said.
When asked to comment on funding for the transition to the contract-based staffing of the army, the minister said that over Hr 35 billion would be spent in this area over the next four years.
“As for the level of funding for the professionalization of the army, we’re planning to spend more than Hr 35 billion in this area over the next four years out of the Hr 90 billion envisaged for the maintenance of troops,” he said.
