Lack of Western aid prevents Ukraine from creating effective combat units

Ukraine has taken steps to address human resource shortages in the army. However, delays and insufficient Western military assistance continue to limit its ability to create effective combat units.

This was reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

It noted the recent statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with CNN that Ukraine ‘needs 14 brigades to be ready’ for an unspecified requirement, and that Ukraine has not been able to equip ‘even four’ of these brigades.

Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine is ramping up domestic production of drones and transferring equipment from warehouses or reserve brigades to try to compensate for the lack of Western military assistance.

According to the president, this lack of supply, particularly with armoured vehicles and artillery ammunition, has led to losses of Ukrainian personnel.

‘The ISW has long assessed that Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russian offensives and challenge the initiative in the theatre of operations depends to a large extent on both Western military assistance and Ukraine's efforts to rebuild existing units and create new ones - the latter of which Ukraine has paid considerable attention to,’ the Institute's report says.

However, the creation of more Ukrainian infantry without a corresponding increase in mechanised equipment will not significantly increase Ukraine's combat capability, ISW analysts said.

Author - Dmitriy Levchenko, 17/09/2024