British Army Turns to Reservists to Reinforce Ukraine Deployment

As of August 30th, 2025, the British Army is preparing to deploy its first ground force to Ukraine, which will be reinforced by at least 1,000 reservists. This move comes as the regular army faces a significant manpower crisis, with several regiments heavily understaffed and more troops leaving than joining.

According to Army Headquarters in Andover, the provisional plans call for part-time soldiers to fill crucial roles in infantry, engineering, and medical support. The assessment reflects the army's recognition that sustaining an enduring operation in eastern Europe may require reservists for a minimum of two years, on a full-time reservist service basis.

This reliance on reservists is not new for the British military. During the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than 40,000 reservists were mobilized, filling vital gaps in field hospitals, logistics, and frontline infantry. However, the current manpower crisis in the regular army means that no significant deployment could be mounted without reserve support.

A senior source at Army Headquarters stated, "Almost everywhere you look we are short of people, even special forces. Reservists are already serving in the Falklands, on United Nations duty in Cyprus, and in Iraq. If the government decides we are going to join a Peace Support Operation in Ukraine, we will need the reserves, just as we did in Iraq and Afghanistan. We simply cannot sustain operations without them."