Ukraine's Army Now Larger Than Russia's: Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Kyiv's army is now larger than Moscow's during a joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Wednesday. He said that Ukraine's military now has 880,000 soldiers, while Russia's forces are comprised of 600,000 troops.

Newsweek reached out to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for comment via email outside of business hours.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking in a meeting with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in Kyiv on January 14, 2025. The president recently announced that Ukraine's army is larger than Russia's. Efrem Lukatsky/Associated Press

Why It Matters

The fact that Ukraine's army is bigger than Russia's is significant because it shows that even despite a manpower shortage, Kyiv may be able to sustain the war effort, whereas Russia's increasing casualties may not allow it to do so. Moreover, while Ukraine has volunteers and other countries discussing the idea of deploying troops, Russia only has its own troops, as well as North Korean soldiers, who have been experiencing high numbers of casualties.

What To Know

The Ukrainian president specified that the 880,000 Kyiv soldiers protect the entire country, while Russia's troops are concentrated in certain areas. The size of Ukraine's army now is a significant increase from 2023, as Zelensky had said that Kyiv's armed forces consisted of 600,000 soldiers. Ukraine's armed forces consist of several branches including the Ground Forces, the Air Force, the Navy, the Air Assault Forces, the Marine Corps the Special Operations Forces and the Territorial Defense Forces.

As fighting on the frontlines has escalated, Ukraine has been struggling with a manpower shortage, particularly in the infantry, due to its intensified offensive in Donetsk and battles in Kursk. In order to solve the manpower shortage issue, President Joe Biden and others have been urging Ukraine to lower the draft age from 25 to 18. The Ukrainian parliament has also taken its first steps to mobilizing women and is reviewing an amendment to the "On Military Obligation and Military Service" law that would allow for women to be conscripted and complete basic training.

What People Are Saying

Regarding the size of Russia's armed forces, Zelensky said: "Russian troops are concentrated in several areas, so in some areas, they have a quantitative advantage."

Comparing the size of Ukraine's armed forces to other EU countries, Zelensky previously said: "The Ukrainian army is the largest in Europe. The second place after us (France) is four times smaller than us. I think the French have about 200,000. We have 980,000."

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Tymofiy Mylovanov, the president of the Kyiv School of Economics, posted about Zelensky and Tusk's press conference and wrote: "Ukraine and Poland understand what Washington doesn't: Poland is next. In 2013, Crimea's annexation seemed unthinkable; by 2022, a full-scale invasion was a reality."

What Happens Next

It remains to be seen how Ukrainian forces combat the large groups of Russian soldiers stationed in concentrated areas, and how they will continue to sustain the war effort by combating the manpower shortage.