Ukraine’s parliament decides to increase army to 250,000 people

Today, on March 5, the Supreme Rada of Ukraine passed a bill that looks to bring the army personnel to 250,000 people. The bill was backed by 270 parliamentarians. The required number of votes to pass a bill is 226.

On March 2, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko suggested increasing the national army.  The bill looks increase the army to 250,000 people, with at least 204,000 servicemen. The bill was drafted “to regulate the size of Ukraine’s Armed Forces for timely deployment of troops to resist, repel armed aggression and liquidate (localize, neutralize) an armed conflict.”

The number of Ukraine’s armed forces for the beginning of 2014 stood at 168,000 people, including 125,000 servicemen, according to media reports. At the end of 2014, the army was increased to 232,000 people.

In December 2014, Defense Minister of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak suggested increasing the army to 250,000 people. He said at the parliament that the ministry planned to draft 40,000 people in 2015 and train about 10,500 contract officers.