NewsUkraine's draft dilemma: Street round-ups and the price of escape

Ukraine's draft dilemma: Street round-ups and the price of escape

Hunting for conscripts in Ukraine. "To be poor means to be dead."

Images source: © PAP | PAP/Mykola Kalyeniak

4 May 2024 15:07

The war in Ukraine drags on endlessly, and the army is running short of volunteers. Increasingly, Kyiv is facing a shortage of soldiers. The authorities are therefore resorting to rounding up men off the streets of cities. This has not been well received by everyone. There's also a flourishing business in evading the draft.

Ten days ago, Anton (name changed) was on his way to work as a civilian in Kharkiv when several men stopped him. They asked to see his documents, then checked a tablet and found his name next to a red inscription: "draft evader." Anton was taken to the nearest military office.

Hunting for draftees in Ukraine: "To be poor means to be dead"

That day, Anton and Sergey were supposed to deliver humanitarian aid on the front line by truck. Both men, aged 32 and 31, had been checked for the draft twice. The second time, they were ordered to report to the recruiting centre as soon as possible, reports "The Guardian".

Ukraine has no choice, as more than two years after the Russian invasion, the military has been short of soldiers. In February, the occupiers captured the city of Avdiivka and have continued to push forward. Currently, the Russians are besieging the city of Chasiv Yar. Vladimir Putin's army has more military personnel and better artillery and aircraft for demolishing Ukrainian defences.

Ukrainians are trying to find recruits to replace those who've died or been wounded. In the spring of 2022, there was no shortage of volunteers ready to defend their country, with long queues at recruitment points. Now, such eagerness is no longer seen.

In April, President Volodymyr Zelensky approved new regulations to increase the number of draftees. Penalties for dodging military service were tightened, and the state can now freeze accounts and confiscate property. Additionally, the eligible age for mobilization was lowered from 27 to 25.

Kyiv also decided to suspend consular services for Ukrainians living abroad, such as in Poland or Lithuania. As a result, they cannot apply for a new passport, among other things. Returning home to do so would mean they would likely not be allowed to leave and would face mobilization instead.

Secret code on Telegram to warn each other

Military personnel are roaming the streets of Ukrainian cities, handing "invitations" to the recruitment office to men of draft age. On Telegram, there are special channels where Ukrainians warn each other about ongoing "round-ups," referring to officers as "clouds" or "rain".

"What's the weather like at the Obrońcy Ukrainy metro station?" is a typical question posted on the channel. "Three clouds covered a young man," the reply indicates that three individuals received a mobilization order.

Anton, who had planned to assist as a civilian in Kharkiv, explained his situation to the official. He was told he must undergo a medical examination within three days to determine his eligibility for military service. Failure to comply would result in a fine of £130.

Illegal escape from Ukraine is seen as a way out for people like Anton. One route leads across the Tisza River into Romania. Others attempt to reach the Russian city of Belgorod, paradoxically, as Ukraine is at war with Russia. "It's no joke," emphasizes Sergey in his conversation with "The Guardian".

Anton has hidden in the countryside, working remotely and hoping to evade the state's notice. "I love my country, but I can't kill anyone, nor do I want to die. The war and this government wear everyone out. Our attitude can be summed up as 'get lost,'" he says.

36-year-old Oleksandr, who works in IT, rarely leaves his home, avoids public transport, and only travels by car. He moved to a wealthy district in Kyiv to dodge the draft. In Ukraine, it's perceived that officers prefer to search for draftees in poorer areas.

"The military doesn't come here. Our district is a survival island. Being poor in Ukraine means a death sentence," says Natalia, Oleksandr's wife.

Smuggling as a chance to live

Oleksandr and Natalia feel "100% Ukrainian." They recently purchased a prosthesis for a soldier who lost his leg on the front. More than two years into the war, they believe the government should negotiate peace terms with Russia, even though they consider Putin a "madman." "Right now, I feel like a pawn. You only live once. If I have to choose between my country and my life, I choose life," Oleksandr concludes.

The effort to round up Ukrainians has spawned a thriving business in smuggling men out of the country. Smugglers charge between £3,800 and £11,500 per person just for showing the way. Another escape route from the army is bribing a doctor for a lower health classification at the military commission.

According to reports, by summer 2023, about 40,000 people attempted to escape to Romania across the Tisza River, with some drowning in the process. Recently, Ukrainian services retrieved the bodies of two men from the water.