The Ukrainian army, modernized and combat-experienced after eight years of war

8 years ago, the army of Ukraine he was in a “dire state,” says Pavlo Dolynski. In 2014, he came to the front lines as a volunteer to fight pro-Russian separatists and found himself lacking. But after years of conflict, reforms and Western aid, things have changed a lot.

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In early 2014 Ukraine lost Crimea after a pro-Western revolution. Without firing a single shot, Russia the territory was simply annexed.

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Then Ukraine’s armed forces, weakened by years of neglect and corruption, were overwhelmed by the escalating conflict in the country’s east with pro-Russian separatists.

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“The army had reached a point where it could not resist the enemy”, Pavlo Dolynski, who now works for a veterans association, told AFP. “I was in a dire state” assures.

Soldiers were sometimes equipped with obsolete Soviet-made gear, or had trouble getting uniforms, boots, and weapons in good condition.

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Battalions of volunteers, some from ultranationalist organizations, were needed to contain the advance of the enemy, who clearly had the military support of Russia, despite Moscow’s denials.

Since the end of 2021, the presence of tens of thousands of Russian soldiers on the Ukrainian borders has increased tension, but this time the Kiev army is completely different.

Modernized and hardened in a thousand battles after eight years of conflict that has left more than 13,000 dead, the army promises to be up to the task.

“Eight years ago, the Ukrainian army only existed on paper”, says Mykola Beleskov, a military analyst at the National Institute for Strategic Studies in Kiev. “Now Ukraine has its best armed forces since its independence 30 years ago.”, he assures.

The conflict has prompted pro-Western authorities to bring their military closer to NATO standards.

The military budget has tripled to more than $4.2 billion in 2021, and reforms have been made to curb corruption and improve command.

The United States has provided $2.5 billion in military aid since 2014, and instructors from NATO countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom teach how to prepare for combat. To the chagrin of the Russians.

Drones and anti-tank missiles

Within the framework of this modernization, the president Volodymyr Zelensky This week he signed a decree to hire 100,000 more soldiers in three years, bringing the total to 360,000.

He also promised to raise wages and end compulsory military service by 2024.

The military is also benefiting from a crucial influx of foreign weapons, including Turkish manufacturer Bayraktar’s TB2 combat drones, which played a key role in the 2020 conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. To which are also added British and American anti-tank missiles.

Despite these advances, Sam Cranny-Evans, an analyst at the RUSI Institute in London, points out that there are “key loopholes” in anti-aircraft defenses, long-range strike capabilities, and reconnaissance.

The air force and navy are considered weak points. Kiev lost 70% of its fleet of ships when Russia annexed the strategically located Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, according to a recent US report.

Another problem is the corruption of the finances of the Ukrainian state.

“It is widely accepted that the way forward for Ukraine in terms of reform and building adequate military capabilities lies through the elimination of corruption in the defense sector.”, according to Janes, a company specialized in military analysis.

Despite everything, the capabilities of the Ukrainian army remain more limited than those of the Russian army, which has been modernized and toughened under the leadership of Vladimir Putin.

“It’s no secret that the Russian army is bigger and stronger”, says Mykola Beleskov, who points out that a ground offensive would lead to a costly “war of attrition” for Moscow.

“Let’s say it would be difficult for us, very difficult”, admits the Ukrainian analyst. “But it would not be easy for the Russians either.”.

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Source: Elcomercio

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