08 July 2025, 20:00

Expert explains deadlock in Ukraine conflict: Neither manpower nor firepower

Spiridon Kilinkarov. Frame grab from BelTA's video

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MINSK, 8 July (BelTA) – The United States has effectively placed responsibility for financing the Ukrainian conflict on Ukraine and the European Union, but the latter are failing to cope with the task, member of the Another Ukraine movement, former deputy of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada Spiridon Kilinkarov said in a new episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA’s YouTube channel.

“I think that Ukraine and the European Union, which were left alone by the United States of America to arm and finance Ukraine, are mutually failing to fulfill their obligations. Ukraine complains of the lack of weapons, while the Europeans complain of the lack of manpower,” he noted.

According to Spiridon Kilinkarov, mobilization in Ukraine is ‘very slow’. “People have no motivation. And if we look at the forms and methods of this mobilization, we see that it is being carried out by force. People sabotage the work of the Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support (TRSSC). This center is part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is directly subordinate to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief - Mr. Zelensky. If TRSSCs act this way, it means they were given the greenlight from above to do so. It cannot be otherwise,” he said.

The expert pointed to rampant corruption in Ukraine’s defense sector: “The head of the Brovary TCC obtained more than a million dollars in two and a half years; it means that corruption is pervasive.”

He recalled that the Ukrainian authorities tried to encourage young people aged 18 to 24 years to voluntarily join the army. “They offered a lump-sum of one million hryvnia, plus other perks and benefits. However, people say that the government does not fulfill its obligations in full, even in relation to those whom they managed to lure into the army by offering these perks. Young people are reluctant to join the army. Over the course of 5-6 months, they mobilized about 3,500 people. This is very little. In fact, no one wants to serve in the army,” the former MP said.

The expert also touched upon the demographic situation in Ukraine. “High school students aged 16-17 could potentially be called up some time later. But statistics reveal that there are fewer and fewer people of this age group. Their parents are taking them out [of the country] - both boys and girls. The demographic situation is simply a disaster,” the expert said.