The It continues to leave figures, strategic movements and political decisions. But it also leaves and is much more difficult to measure: the mental exhaustion of the soldiers. And that’s where the warning Olha Reshetylova puts the focus with an unusual rawness.
According to a study by his office, soldiers who remain on the front lines for more than 40 days develop extreme apathy and “stop worrying about whether they survive or not,” as they publish, a conclusion based on data collected in the middle of the conflict.
40 days on the front: the breaking point
The research starts from a key fact: time. In theory, Ukrainian military regulations limits permanence in front-line positions to 15 days. In practice, this rule is breached systematically. The result is that many soldiers spend months without rotation, accumulating physical and psychological fatigue.
“Anything that exceeds 40 days cannot be considered effective”resume Reshetylova.
That threshold marks a before and after. From there, according to the study, a mental deterioration occurs that directly affects combat capacity.
Apathy, exhaustion and loss of effectiveness
The phenomenon is not new in protracted conflicts, but in Ukraine it is intensifying due to the lack of relief. The effects described by the ombudsman’s office include severe psychological burnout, risk apathy, loss of motivation, and reduced operational effectiveness.
In simple terms: the soldier is still at his post, but he no longer responds the same. This deterioration occurs in a particularly demanding context. Ukrainian troops have been facing a full-scale war for more than two years, .
The underlying problem: lack of personnel
Behind this situation there is a structural problem: the shortage of personnel. The Ukrainian army has struggled to keep up with recruiting and, above all, to guarantee regular rotations. This forces us to keep the same units on the front for longer than recommended.
Reshetylova directly links both factors: without enough staff, there is no turnover; Without rotation, wear increases. That is why it proposes changes in the mobilization system.
The proposal: clear contracts and limited service
One of the ideas that is on the table is to introduce more defined service models, with specific durations. The ombudsman’s proposal is offer two or three year contractsset real limits on time on the front line and ensure regular rotations.
According to Reshetylova, this could improve the population’s willingness to enlist: “Certainty will help people decide to serve,” she added. The objective is twofold: attract new recruits and reduce attrition of those already deployed.
A “militarized” society: the long-term debate
The reflection goes beyond the short term. Reshetylova proposes a profound change in the country’s mentality: “We must become a militarized society in which everyone is willing to join the armed forces,” he says.
It is a statement that reflects the dimension of the conflict. It is not just about winning battles, but about sustaining a prolonged effort over time. According to his estimates, Ukraine could mobilize up to 1.6 million peoplea figure that would allow rotations to be improved and relieve pressure on current units.
Crisis in the chain of command
The statements come at a particularly delicate time for the Ukrainian army. days before, The General Staff announced the dismissal of several commandersamong them those responsible for the 14th Mechanized Brigade and the X Army Corps.
The accusations include loss of positions, lack of support for troops and concealment of the real situation in the front. Added to this are complaints spread on the internet about extreme conditions in some units, including lack of food and water in sectors of the Kharkiv oblast.
The invisible war: the mind of the soldier
In any conflict, there are two fronts. The physical and the psychological. The first is measured in kilometers and positions. The second, in mental resistance. What the study by the ombudsman’s office points out is that that second front is starting to show cracks when the time in combat lengthens without rest. It is not a question of will. It is a human limit.
Ukraine faces a prolonged phase of the conflict in which personnel management will be as important as weapons. The ombudsman’s proposals are already on the table of the military command, including Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
