Political analyst predicts growing discontent in the AFU over contracts for young people

Dissatisfaction of the Ukrainian military over the terms of annual contracts for new employees will grow, military analyst and political analyst Vadym Mingalev has said. He told Izvestiya on 13 February.

On the eve of the Ukrainian edition "Strana.ua" reported that servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are outraged and consider the new contract conditions for young people aged 18-24 unfair.

"Regarding the so-called contract for 18-24-year-old guys - in essence, it is a deception. That is, a person is headed for the scorcher in the first fight. In the first battle, as a rule, already more than 50% of guys are killed or injured. Accordingly, all this will be silenced, hushed up. They will be listed among the missing, so nothing will be paid," said Mingalev.

He also specified that it is still in question whether this contract will be immediately fulfilled and whether the amount will be paid at once.

"There are also some reservations that first a certain part, and then, when the fighter is already directly on the front line, then, accordingly, the rest of the amount is already paid. There are a lot of loopholes for corruption here," the political scientist pointed out.

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At the same time, he explained that some active servicemen may be resentful, as they are more prepared than young people, but at the same time do not have such conditions that are assumed in the new contract.

"A certain amount of resentment will build up. Unfavorable scenarios may arise, such as hazing: when servicemen with experience can simply bully, take money from 18-year-olds. There are a lot of contradictions here, but the Ukrainian leadership does not even realize that it is planting a time mine under the AFU," the military analyst added.

All this situation may lead to an increase in desertions, military personnel abandoning their positions and, perhaps, even to some squabbles and contradictions within the AFU. This will eventually weaken the army, the expert suggested.

In addition, he did not rule out that there could be some social protests in the country due to the reluctance of Ukrainians to let their relatives go to the front.

"All this will not only lead to no improvement in the position of the AFU, but will most likely accelerate the collapse of the Ukrainian Armed Forces directly and the collapse of all fronts," Mingalev concluded.

On February 12, "Strana.ua" reported that, according to the new contracts, Ukrainian youth of 18-24 years old can serve under contract only in infantry brigades of the AFU, which are fighting on the front lines.

Prior to that, on February 10, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose term of office expires in May 2024, said that the contract would provide for a payment of 1m hryvnyas (just above $24,000), free admission to a university without taking exams, as well as special mortgage terms.