The new commander of Ukraine's ground forces is planning a "massive transformation" of his branch to improve training, management and troop recruitment, Reuters reports.
The major overhaul by Major General Mykhailo Drapatiy, who took office last month, comes as the Ukrainian army struggles to stop a heavy Russian march eastward that has brought Moscow its fastest gains since 2022. since.
The military said the changes would cover training regimes as well as battlefield management and logistics, including by reducing corruption, embracing technology and strengthening the role of non-commissioned officers.
"Today's ground forces need change, new energy among their soldiers and a modern approach to developing their capabilities," Drapati told a high-level security meeting, cited by the military.
Ukraine has tried to fill its ranks through Western-style mobilization and recruitment, but has faced difficulties as reports of corruption, poor training and mismanagement have dampened enthusiasm for service.
The authorities are also battling a rise in desertion as frontline troops are physically and mentally exhausted by nearly three years of war.
"Changes will certainly come," he said Drapati. No matter how hard it is, we must do it.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Thursday for changes to training centers that would allow recruits to be trained directly by commanders on the battlefield. He has also appointed a prominent brigade commander as a senior battlefield adviser.
The fight has escalated in recent weeks as Kiev and Moscow seek to secure a stronger position in future negotiations, a prospect both sides expect after US President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month.
Ukraine is under pressure from the outgoing Biden administration in the US to lower the conscription age, a move that Ukrainian authorities have ruled out, saying their forces need more Western equipment to equip the men already mobilized.
Ukraine expanded its mobilization campaign in April, lowering the conscription age to 25 from 27, but has since steadily lost ground in the east as it launches an invasion of Russia's Kursk region.
Kiev is reluctant to lower the mobilization age further, fearing the damage it could do to its already the poor demographic outlook for the country. Tens of thousands of soldiers were killed and millions of people fled the country during the invasion.