wonder if Z will actually pay attention to what the experts are saying or will he continue to do whatever TF he feels like? Men? Who needs men and manpower?
Zelensky wants additional manpower, more than anything else.
It's not a question of what he wants, it's a question of what's possible.
It seems that he, and the entire Ukrainian government apparatus, have decided this task is impossible. At least for the time being.
When reading Western news and social media, I see there is a lot of misunderstanding re: what is happening in Ukraine when it comes to mobilization.
1) First - many people ask, "Why is he not conscripting?". The truth is that Ukraine has been conscripting for two and a half years. The problem is that there is an epidemic of draft dodging.
2) Second, many people ask, "Why is he not lowering the conscription age further?". As I've explained many times, there are very few young Ukrainians, and if you kill them all... in 100 years there won't be any Ukraine to fight over.
3) Third, many people say, "If money is such an issue, why don't they just not pay soldiers? Just feed them and equip them, like was done with my grandpa in WW2". The answer to this question is simple - if they don't pay, then absolutely nobody except for hopeless romantics (whose population has been drastically culled) will answer a summons. In Russia and in Ukraine, this war is the poor man's responsibility. Money is one of the few things which can still get people into uniform. So... you will never get to 500K additional men, if you decide that paying them is not necessary. What's more likely, is that the guys that are already on the front, will get up from their trenches and walk home.
So nothing is "bizarre", "insane", "incomprehensible". It's actually quite clear why mobilization in Ukraine has come to a screeching halt.