The decrease in the number of new recruits from around 35,000 to 20,000 was confirmed by Vasyl Rumak, head of the training department at the training centers of the Main Department of Doctrine and Training of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“I think it is no secret that this number [of recruits] has decreased slightly because mobilization funding for training centers has decreased,” explained Rumak.

Shortly after the law on mobilization came into force in May, which lowered the minimum age limit for recruitment to 18, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the number of recruits had increased, Polskie Radio 24 reported.

Ruslan Gorbenko, deputy chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, Liberation and Reintegration, said, in an interview with Ukrainian outlet Ukrinform in June, that a total of 120,000 people would be mobilized this year.

“The Armed Forces now have a robust network of training centers... The way we set them up ensures that nearly every branch of the armed forces has its own training center, allowing military specialists to receive training tailored to their specific needs,” Rumak said, as reported by Ukrainian website pravda.com.

This has enabled the military authorities to influence the content and quality of training,” Rumak added.

Putin intends to continue fighting

On Friday, Vladimir Putin spoke about the current situation on the front. The Russian leader said that he could not say when his army would defeat Ukraine on the battlefield. However, he emphasized that Russian forces were ready to continue fighting until victory was achieved.

According to Putin, Russian troops are becoming more technologically advanced, and he described the conflict in Ukraine as a war between Russia and NATO, which the Alliance is waging with the use of Ukrainian troops.

In reference to Saudi Arabia’s mooted plans to organize peace talks, Putin stated that Moscow is ready for dialogue with Kyiv, but “on the basis of what has already been agreed.”