Secretary of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, Roman Kostenko, stated the need to increase the number of mobilized people in the event of an extension of their training time. In an interview, he explained that in order to ensure a better training process for recruits, more personnel should be recruited to support the front.
According to Kostenko, if now longer training cycles for the mobilized are implemented, it may lead to a temporary shortage of reinforcements on the front line. "Parts will be without replenishment. Therefore, more people will be needed to replenish them," he emphasized.
This situation requires the expansion of the mobilization base in order to simultaneously ensure high-quality training and not weaken the combat capability of front-line units.
While some older men may demonstrate better physical fitness and academic success than younger men, Kostenko believes that young recruits, especially those under 30, have an advantage in learning modern military technology.
"The modern battlefield requires modern thinking, and new means of attack and weapons require people who can better adapt to such conditions. This, in my opinion, is the youth," said the soldier.
Kostenko also expressed the opinion that recruits currently receive only the basic skills necessary for survival and participation in hostilities: "You take a machine gun, dig a trench and shoot at the enemy." He believes that training programs should be adapted to different specializations - be it pilots, engineers, infantrymen or paratroopers, because each of these professions has its own unique requirements.
"For example, you can't train a pilot even in six months, while an infantryman can be trained in a few months," Kostenko stressed.
