© Johannes Simon / Getty ImagesFILE PHOTO: Pro-Ukrainian activists protest in Germany.
The Ukrainian leadership has said that it is seeking to boost the military's ranks by up to 500,000. Additional troops are required to relieve forces on the frontline, some of which have not been properly rotated in years, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has claimed.
Vladimir Paniotto of the International Institute of Sociology discussed how the Ukrainian people's worldview is reflected in research conducted by his organization with local news outlet Ukrainskaya Pravda.
They tend to "wish for conflicting things," he mused, such as capitalist liberalization alongside robust social support by the state, or democracy as well as the "strong arm" of the government. The conundrum is present in what Ukrainians are willing to do to defeat Russia - an outcome that they overwhelmingly believe will end the ongoing hostilities.
"Certainly, many people are willing to act, to send donations or work as volunteers," Paniotto said. "But facing a direct risk to life and taking part in military action - that is much harder... We estimate that the share of those willing to take arms is roughly 8% across all categories."
Comment: Judging from the reports of the hard time the Ukrainian military is having filling its personnel quotas, 8% probably is an overestimate. Even if it isn't, it's one thing to say you're willing to take up arms but it's another thing entirely to actually take up arms and fight.