After almost three years of war, Ukraine has fewer and fewer men to send to the front. Some have already died, others are fleeing forced recruitment. According to reports, virtually no one voluntarily joins the army anymore. The authorities are now accused of using force.
As n-tv reported online on Wednesday, staff from recruitment offices went to public places such as nightclubs or concerts and systematically arrested men of military age. Some would then be taken straight to military training camps, it is said. According to the report, Ukrainians in larger cities are already exchanging ideas in chats about whether and where authorities are currently en route.
“They capture people and send them to war. This is slavery,” Sergey Jgorolskiy told n-tv. The 32-year-old is staying in Germany where he is completing his training as a mechatronics engineer. He was a student and actor in Ukraine until the summer of 2023. His route to Germany was illegal: the border guards ensure that men between the ages of 18 and 60, that is, of military age, do not leave the country.
Escape through forests and mountains
To avoid war, Jgorolskiy fled through a river near the border with Moldova and through forests. He eventually entered Germany via Romania. Since the start of the war, 11,000 Ukrainians have illegally crossed the border with Romania, police there report.
The neighboring country can also be reached via the Carpathians. 23-year-old architect Bodgan Khorolski traveled through these mountains on foot last summer. He didn’t choose hiking trails or tell his family about his plans. Otherwise, they would have tried to stop him because escape was too dangerous, Khorolski said. The Romanian authorities were helpful and he traveled from there to Belgium.
Corrupt border officials
Thousands of Ukrainian men are fleeing forced conscription in their country. People would “just feel empty,” Khorolski said. According to him, the system is corrupt and should not be defended. The Ukrainian is referring to border officials. Anyone who pays them $10,000 to $15,000 can leave the country without being checked. The government and the oligarchs have everything, “the people have nothing,” Jgorolskiy affirmed. Sons of influential men could buy their way out of the army.
The Ukrainian government is already specifically trying to bring men abroad to fight in the war. Ukrainian embassies and consulates have been ordered to stop issuing new passports. The two interviewees had obtained new passports before their flight. Until March 2025, Ukrainians will be granted residence permits throughout the EU on humanitarian grounds.
Russian migrants at the front
War enemy Russia is also accused of forced recruitment. “We have already rounded up more than 30,000 migrants who had been granted citizenship and did not want to register for military service, and sent about 10,000 of them to the special military operations zone,” said the head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin. For example, there is talk of raids on companies with guest workers. Volunteers must be lured with high direct bonuses and a relatively high monthly salary, among other things.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
