Exactly 10 years ago, on March 8, 2014, the Armed Forces raised the alarm

March 11, 2014 acting Minister of Defense reported that out of 41,000 military personnel of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, only 6,000 were combat-ready. Only six brigades were staffed by contract soldiers and were at least partially combat-ready - the 25th Airborne, 30th Mechanized, 79th Airmobile, 80th Airmobile , 93rd mechanized and 95th airmobile brigades. The 3rd and 8th Special Forces Regiments retained significant strength through their continued combat readiness and would play a critical role in the early days of Russian aggression.