Roman Kostenko, Secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, stated the need to increase the number of mobilized personnel in case their training period is extended. In an interview, he explained that in order to ensure a better training process for recruits, more personnel should be involved to support the front.
According to Kostenko, if longer training cycles for mobilized troops are introduced now, it could lead to a temporary shortage of reinforcements on the front line. “The units will be without reinforcements. Therefore, more people will be needed to replenish them,” he stressed.
This situation requires expanding the mobilization base to simultaneously ensure high-quality training and not weaken the combat capability of units on the front line.
While some older men may demonstrate better physical fitness and academic success than younger men, Kostenko believes that young conscripts, especially those under 30, have an advantage in learning modern military technology.
“The modern battlefield requires modern thinking, and new means of destruction and weapons require people who are better adapted to such conditions. This, in my opinion, is the youth,” the military man noted.
Kostenko also expressed the opinion that recruits currently receive only the basic skills necessary for survival and participation in combat: “You take a machine gun, dig a trench and shoot at the enemy.” He believes that training programs should adapt 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 even train a pilot in six months, while an infantryman can be trained in a few months,” Kostenko emphasized.
