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The Ukrainian army is the second largest army in Europe. It is a professional force of 1.28 million people.
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Introduction
In 2014, the Ukrainian Army was estimated to have 130,000 soldiers. However, since the outbreak of the War in Donbass, that number has been greatly reduced. As of March 2017, the Ukrainian Army is estimated to have between 50,000 and 60,000 soldiers.
The Ukrainian Army Today
Ukraine’s army is the 8th largest army in Europe, and the 14th largest in the world. It is a professional army with over 1,000,000 soldiers. The army is divided into six military districts, and each district has its own headquarters.
Structure
Currently, the Ukrainian Army is structured as follows:
– 13 infantry brigades
– 1 airborne brigade
– 2 special operations brigades
– 10 mechanized brigades
– 7 tank brigades
– 3 missile brigades
– 1 artillery brigade
– 1 air defense brigade
– 1 engineer brigade
– 1 signal brigade
– 1 logistics brigade
Equipment
Ukraine has a total of around 250,000 soldiers, making it the 13th largest army in the world. The Ukrainian Army is well-equipped, with a wide range of modern tanks, artillery, and aircraft. However, much of its equipment is outdated and in need of replacement or repair.
One of the biggest problems facing the Ukrainian Army is a lack of funding. The government has been unable to provide adequate funding for the military in recent years, leading to a severe shortage of supplies and equipment. This has had a major impact on the Army’s ability to effectively defend the country against Russian aggression.
The Soviet Legacy
The Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, but the legacies of Soviet institutions, including the military, remain in many of the successor states, including Ukraine. Since independence, Ukraine has been Building its own military, but it has been limited by its economic problems.
Structure
The Ukrainian Ground Forces are the land force component of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They were formed from Soviet Ground Forces formations, units, and institutions, as well as volunteers. Initially, they adopted their replicate Soviet structures, configurations, and doctrines, with various restructurings taking place between 1991 and 2020. The Ground Forces Command is controlled by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine headquartered in Kiev.
Organisationally, the Ukrainian Ground Forces are subdivided into several geographic commands (or military regions), subordinated to the Defence Ministry:
-Northern Territorial Command
-Southern Territorial Command
-Western Territorial Command
-Central Territorial Command
In addition to conventional ground forces military units and formations, since 1991 the Ground Forces also incorporated special forces units (spetsnaz).
Equipment
The ground forces of the Ukrainian Army include more than 20,000 main battle tanks, 2,600 infantry fighting vehicles, 4,000 armored personnel carriers and troop transport vehicles, 1,600 artillery systems, 1,000 anti-tank guided missile systems, 1,800 multiple rocket launchers, over 3,000 air defense systems and more than 500 helicopters.
The Ukrainian Army in the Future
The Ukrainian Army is set to grow in the coming years. The country has been allocated $3.8 billion for military spending in 2020, which is a significant increase from previous years. This new funding will allow the Ukrainian Army to purchase new equipment and increase its training.
Structure
The Ukrainian Army is currently undergoing a transformation process, which includes changes in its size, structure, and equipment.
In terms of size, the army is planned to be reduced to 150,000 soldiers by 2020. This will be done by reducing the number of conscripts and professional soldiers, as well as through voluntary retiredment.
In terms of structure, the army will be divided into three branches: the Ground Forces, the Air Force, and the Special Operations Forces. The Ground Forces will be responsible for defending Ukraine’s territory, while the Air Force will provide air support and carry out offensive operations. The Special Operations Forces will be responsible for carrying out special operations such as counter-terrorism and anti-guerrilla warfare.
In terms of equipment, the army will be equipped with modern weapons and vehicles. This includes tanks, artillery, aircraft, and missiles.
Equipment
The Ukrainian Army is looking to increase its capacity in the coming years, and part of that will be through the use of new equipment. The Army is set to receive over 200 new tanks, 1000 new infantry fighting vehicles, and 400 new artillery pieces. In addition, the Army will be receiving over 100 new aircraft, including drones.
