Ukraine To Increase the Number of Armed Forces by 100,000 People

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans to increase the number of the Ukrainian army by 100,000 people in the Rada. The number of the armed forces of Ukraine will be increased by 100,000 people in the next three years. In addition, the country will increase the service life of contract workers. This statement was made by the President of the country Vladimir Zelensky during a speech in the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday, February 1, adding that the relevant decree has already been signed by him. At the same time, Zelensky urged lawmakers to remain united and not to sow panic about the threat of a Russian military offensive. He expressed hope that the date of the next round of peace talks with Russia, France and Germany will be agreed in the near future. “We are actively working to agree on the date of the next meeting of the advisers in Berlin in the coming days, where, I hope, an agreement will be reached on the meeting of the leaders of the Normandy Four,” the President of Ukraine said. “This decree is the start of Ukraine’s transition to a professional army, this decree is not because war is coming, this decree is for peace in Ukraine to continue soon,” the President of Ukraine stressed. The conflict over Ukraine The situation on the border of Russia and Ukraine began to escalate in October 2021, after the appearance of mass reports about the pulling of Russian troops into this region. According to Western intelligence services, Moscow has transferred more than 100,000 troops to the annexed Crimea and to the border with Ukraine. The Kremlin denies preparing for a new invasion and accuses Europe and the United States of arming Ukraine and conducting maneuvers near the Russian borders. The West calls on Moscow to withdraw troops from the Ukrainian border and threatens large-scale sanctions in case of a possible Russian attack on a neighboring state. DW