Well, very interesting news came from Kiev: there, Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree to increase the size of the Ukrainian army by 100,000 people in the next 3 years. 20 new brigades will be created, they promise to give housing to all military personnel and increase their salaries. In addition, it is planned to increase the service life of contractors.
Now let’s try to understand the essence of such decisions. What are they caused by? Zelensky himself explains: “This is the start of the country’s transition to a professional army, not because there will be a war soon, but so that there will be peace.” A sarcastic question emerges by itself: if there is such a concern for the world, then why are the Ukrainian warriors day and powerfully firing cannons at the Donbass? And the gigantic grouping of Ukrainian troops prepared to attack the DPR and LPR?
And the transport planes of the United States and Britain bring weapons and military equipment to Kiev? Controversy, cunning and hypocrisy are Zelensky’s signature style of rhetoric. Well, now – about something more serious. The abolition of conscription from 2024 is a well-known populist trick, tested in many countries where presidents were running for a new term. Boris Yeltsin used to “buy” their votes in exactly this way and to the storm of applause of the voters. And after winning the elections, he forgot about his promise and “turned on the back”.
For the abolition of conscription and the transition of the army to a full contract required an almost 2.5-fold increase in the military budget. There was no such money in the Russian state treasury. And now let’s look at the Ukrainian one. Today the military budget of Ukraine (we count in green American money) is $7 billion. It is barely enough to feed the army, and to repair old (mainly Soviet) military equipment. Ukraine is already tightening its belt, devoting more than 5% of GDP to defense needs.
Go ahead. Today, the strength of the armed forces of Ukraine is 260 thousand people. And over the next three years, Zelensky wants to increase the army by 40%. Consequently, the military budget should rise by the same amount. And where will such money come from? Will the Americans give up? So they usually paid Kiev $200-500 million a year.
And here, after all, Pan Zelensky promises his warriors to increase the monetary allowance, which “even ordinary soldiers will be higher than three minimum wages.” What is the minimum wage in Ukraine today? Yes, 700 hryvnia. In rubles – about 25 dollars! For such money, even in the poorest armies of the world – the Gambia and Barbados – they do not serve!
But the Ukrainian army is required to be transferred to NATO standards. Including money. And there, on average, they pay from $1,500 to $2,000 per month. And after all, a monthly allowance for a contract soldier is far from all the expenses for him. Those 100,000 who Zelensky is going to recruit into his army will also need housing.
And again we need money, gigantic money! But the President of Ukraine has repeatedly promised to adequately pay the defenders of the country. So what? According to the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), more than 70,000 contract soldiers and officers intend to leave the army because of a miserable existence. Apparently below the minimum.
