Shmyhal says there will be no drastic reduction of the army after the war

There will be no drastic reduction of the Ukrainian army after the war is over. This was announced by Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal during a presentation to the government, reports LIGA.net.

Defense Minister: After the war, Ukrainian army should be contract and professional.

"It will not decrease dramatically after the end of this war. It will be a very smooth, very calculated process, and it will not be fast, it will be smooth," Shmyhal clarified.

He emphasized that whether it will be 1 million, 800,000 personnel, or another figure is currently being calculated.

"And, indeed, we are consulting with our partners on what contingent of the Ukrainian Armed Forces should remain to reliably protect the eastern flank of Europe, the eastern flank of NATO," Shmyhal clarified .

He noted that this is an important element, among other things, of Ukraine's agreements on joint financing of the Armed Forces after the war.

"Because the Armed Forces of Ukraine must remain a significant element of our security, our security guarantees and the security guarantees of our partners," Shmyhal said.

At the same time, the government's action program contains planned indicators for recruitment and mobilization. By December 31, 2026, stable implementation of the targets should be ensured on a monthly basis:

→ recruitment of Ukrainian citizens – 3,500 contracts for military service;

→ recruitment of foreigners and stateless persons – signing 1000 contracts for military service;

→ direct mobilization to military units – involvement of 2500 citizens of Ukraine in designated mobilization units.

• On July 30, 2025, Shmyhal said that mobilization in Ukraine is mostly "absolutely normal," with scandalous situations accounting for 5-10%.
• On August 7, the Defense Minister said that from September 1, all employees of TCC will be required to wear body cameras.