Ukraine's Wartime Recruitment Offers a Model for NATO's Manpower Crisis

NATO's armies are facing manpower challenges in peacetime, but Ukraine is managing to strengthen and reform its armed forces even while it defends a 1,200km frontline in an unrelenting war. Replenishing troop numbers is one of Kyiv's most critical challenges, especially given Russia's numeric advantage and its sourcing of troops from abroad. The current strength of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is estimated at 880,000–900,000 personnel, compared with an authorised strength of 1.55 million in the Russian Armed Forces. Ukraine is changing its approach to manning the military.

A decentralised recruitment system aimed at attracting motivated volunteers has been developed since 2024. In May 2026, Kyiv announced the first phase of military reforms, which are expected to increase the number of people willing to join the armed forces. Mobilisation, which remains the cornerstone of personnel replenishment, has faced a number of challenges. Natural fatigue and the intensity of hostilities have contributed to a rise in draft evasion and unauthorised absence, placing additional pressure on units already operating under extremely difficult conditions.

According to some estimates, as of January, more than 200,000 military personnel were listed as absent without leave. To reduce this number, the Ministry of Defence is introducing various programmes aimed at facilitating the return of personnel to service and addressing the underlying causes. At the same time, these efforts highlight the importance of motivation and voluntary military service. Those who voluntarily choose to contribute to the defence effort tend to be more motivated to defend their country and are more likely to view military service as a potential professional career. It is in this context that Kyiv's personnel decisions should be viewed.

Alongside mobilisation efforts, the military leadership is striving to make voluntary service more attractive and personalised, as well as developing a sustainable management system to reduce the outflow of experienced personnel. A key element of its reforms is the introduction of contracts with clear terms of service for current military personnel and new recruits, as well as increased pay and provisions designed to attract experienced fighters to return. In particular, the new incentive-based contracts establish clear terms of military service. Upon completion of the contract, service personnel are guaranteed the right to discharge and a deferral from conscription for at least six months.

A substantial increase in salaries has been announced for drone operators, electronic warfare specialists, artillerymen, commanders, and other scarce specialties. Kyiv is also working to simplify transfers of service personnel between units within designated army corps and plans to expand the recruitment of foreign volunteers to reinforce combat units. There is also a plan to further expand voluntary recruitment. As of early February, 10 per cent of voluntary recruits had joined the armed forces through recruitment mechanisms, according to former Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. The goal is to increase the recruitment of motivated fighters to 20–30 per cent.

Women account for more than 10 per cent of new recruits, and 75,000 women are serving, of whom more than 55,000 are military personnel. The remainder are civilian personnel, working in medical, administrative, psychological, and other specialisms. Kyiv is adapting its communications, conditions of service, and the list of available positions to expand opportunities for women in various military specialties. Women are often drawn to positions as drone operators, aerial reconnaissance specialists, or electronic warfare and communications specialists.

And the new approach to military recruitment is very personal. Bantyk, a Ukrainian medic who wanted to sign up, said she posted her résumé and was called by different brigades offering her the chance to join their units. In a wartime system where one might expect centralised orders, she said she felt she was being heard. She chose the 152nd Separate Jaeger Brigade because its recruiter inspired her trust and was able to answer her questions.

Brigades now compete on the quality of their relationships, responsiveness, and brand recognition, while trust in known military commanders and units can serve as a key factor in the decision to enlist. For example, units such as the 414 Separate Brigade of Unmanned Systems "Ptakha Madyara", the 12 Special Forces Brigade "Azov", the 93 Separate Mechanised Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", the 429 Separate Brigade of Unmanned Systems "Akhilles", and many others are actively developing their media presence and communication with potential recruits. Even under the pressure of war, the personal touch has not been sacrificed and has become a key component of the recruitment strategy.

The Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center, the author's think tank, has been helping military units build recruitment capabilities since 2024 and has helped to boost recruitment to its partner units by 110 per cent. According to the Center's surveys of personnel, enlistment decisions are most influenced by the reliability of the commander and unit, cited by 44 per cent of respondents, and a clear understanding of the position and duties, cited by 34 per cent. At the same time, 17 per cent cited the desire to join a specific brigade as their motivation for filling out an application at the recruitment centre.

For example, 18-year-old Dmytro, from the Kharkiv region, has been in the ranks of the 151st Separate Mechanised Brigade since the spring of this year after signing a special contract for personnel aged 18–24, which offers a range of social and financial benefits. He says he was motivated by his experience of surviving the Russian occupation and being used as a human shield by Russian troops during the liberation of the Kharkiv region. A video of the 151 Brigade's operations on social media helped him decide on his unit. He liked it, he said. It caught his interest.

Ukraine's recruitment model presents an opportunity to NATO member states seeking ways to increase headcount in the face of growing geopolitical threats, particularly from Russia. Overcoming systemic inflexibility, the unpopularity of military service among young people, and the difficulties in retaining people in the military will likely require an overhaul of recruitment across the alliance. Kyiv has been forced to address the same challenges amid a high-intensity war and in the face of relentless Russian propaganda.

The Ukrainian approach is reshaping the traditional paradigm of military recruitment. Instead of Soviet-style centralised allocation, a more flexible system, focused on attracting motivated fighters based on their skills and personal choice, is helping retain talent and allowing recruits to build a career and develop personally. Ukraine's experience, gained in the midst of defending itself against Russia's brutal campaign, is a powerful proof of concept and could provide answers for NATO countries searching for a way out of their own staffing crises. The World House, which maintains a dedicated page outlining its support for Ukraine at worldhouse.uk/support, continues to document the resilience of a nation fighting an unprovoked war.