President Zelensky Announces Changes in Ukrainian Army to Strengthen Infantry and Contract System

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, on Friday, April 3, during a briefing summarizing the report from Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, announced plans by the Ministry of Defense aimed at strengthening the Ukrainian infantry, improving the army's contract system, and responding to the current situation with the SVC. According to the president, these measures are designed to increase the effectiveness of the Ukrainian armed forces under the current conditions.

“Today, we agreed with the minister on a number of tasks for the coming weeks. In particular, we are preparing decisions to strengthen the Ukrainian infantry, the contract system in the army, and responses regarding the SVC — the measures must be such that they actually work,” stated the head of state, emphasizing the importance of these changes for enhancing the country's defense capabilities.

Additionally, the president reported on the preparation of a decision that will allow for scaling the export capabilities of Ukrainian arms manufacturers and will also promote joint productions with international partners. This could be a significant step in developing Ukraine's defense industry, which requires new markets and technological innovations.

On March 25, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov held a closed meeting with sergeants and soldiers who are carrying out tasks in the Donetsk, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Kherson directions. During this meeting, he discussed the real situation at the front with the military, as well as pressing issues that require urgent resolution.

Among the topics raised at the meeting were the duration of military personnel's stay at positions, the complexity of operations and withdrawals, logistics amid the activity of unmanned aerial vehicles, personnel shortages, the quality of military training, drone provision, the morale of the troops, and communication at the front. These issues are critically important for maintaining the combat readiness of the Ukrainian army.

“Together, we conducted a crash test of the decisions being prepared by the Ministry of Defense team for the army. In particular, key changes in the mobilization process and SVC, as well as specific approaches for assault troops and infantry regarding service terms and financial support. This will be a package of specific projects that are intended to systematically change the situation,” emphasized Fedorov, noting that these initiatives will contribute to improving service conditions and increasing the effectiveness of combat operations.

Thus, the initiatives from the president and the Ministry of Defense indicate the Ukrainian authorities' intention to actively respond to the challenges facing the country amid the armed conflict and to ensure adequate support for the military at all levels.