Ukraine currently has enough troops to implement a two-month rotation to relieve frontline troops, according to Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky on Tuesday.
In an interview with the defense outlet Militarnyi, Syrsky said the rotation could operate in three shifts depending on available resources and manpower.
“We counted everything: The number of personnel in the brigades on average in positions and the presence of personnel deployed to the area of operation. There are a large number of servicemen who are in combat areas,” Syrsky said, as reported by state media Ukrinform.
“We have all the conditions to create three shifts and ensure the preparation of the shift that will replace them on rotation,” he added.
The decision for the two-month rotation was announced in early May, with the General Staff saying that it is driven by troop exhaustion in high-intensity combat zones.
Syrsky said the next step would be to work out a system to monitor the planned rotation.
“I have set a deadline of the 15th of each month for us to monitor the rotation. For example, groups of officers are currently working to check how the brigades kept records of servicemen who are in front-line positions, how the duration of their stay was taken into account,” he continued.
“That is, now we need to clarify everything and deal with those people who will replace them and create a system for monitoring this.”
Previously, Ukraine’s General Staff also said an additional month may be allocated to complete the rotation process based on the security situation.
Troop exhaustion has been a persistent issue along hotspots of the front line, with soldiers at times unable to be relieved due to logistics constraints and manpower shortages.
While Syrsky in March rated Ukraine’s mobilization at “6-7 out of 10,” Kyiv’s recent battlefield gains – including high Russian troop attrition over five consecutive months and net territorial losses for Moscow for the first time since 2024 – have likely helped create conditions for troop rotations.
However, Kyiv has also warned of Moscow’s plans to expand mobilization and shift away from the current covert model. On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Presidential Office said it believes Moscow might announce a nationwide mobilization after the upcoming State Duma elections.
Did Syrsky talk about demobilization?
Ukraine’s commander-in-chief also touched on demobilization but struck a less optimistic note than the defense ministry.
In the interview, Syrsky said the military is working with the defense ministry to work out the issue, but it is likely to be introduced when the war ends.
“This is an important issue that opens up the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ for our servicemen. We are actively working on this with the Ministry of Defense,” Syrsky said. “We have considered all the initiatives announced by the president among the management.”
Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s defense minister, in early May hinted at plans to introduce a phased demobilization but remained tight-lipped on details.
The issue of demobilization has sparked major debate among lawmakers in 2024, when the country revised its mobilization law. The clause was ultimately omitted from the bill despite significant pressure from parts of society.