In the past, Ukraine was largely unprepared for war. Today, however, its military is in a much stronger position and is making sure that any future hostilities have a high price for their adversary.
Ukraine's military was
in a sorry state in 2014, when Russia seized Crimea and backed an invasion of eastern Ukraine.
By 2014, after more than two decades of peace, Ukraine's military had shrunk to just 140,000 troops — only 6,000 of whom were ready for combat. Additionally, much of its high-end equipment, including some of the newest gear produced by its domestic arms industry, was sold to foreign countries.
Despite the setbacks, Ukraine's military is much larger and much stronger today.
"There's quite a few improvements," Andrew Radin, a political scientist with the RAND Corporation think tank, told Insider.
Radin, who helped write recommendations on security-sector reform for the Ukrainian government, described Ukraine's current force as "a battle-hardened military, both in terms of volunteer personnel ... as well as quite a number of veterans who are still available as reservists."
Ukraine has
made progress in adopting NATO standards and practices, and
its forces — 255,000 active-duty personnel and 900,000 reservists — train regularly
with the US and other NATO militaries.
Ukraine increased its defense budget to
4.1% of GDP in 2020, and much of that money has gone to rearming.
In addition to US-made
Javelin anti-tank missiles, the US has
supplied Ukraine with armored Humvees, inflatable boats, radios, counterbattery artillery systems, and
multiple Island-class patrol boats.
