Ukrainians pay money not to go to the front

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Patriotic enthusiasm was high in Ukraine: thousands of men volunteered and lined up in front of the recruitment offices when Russia attacked the country on February 24, 2022. But things look different today. Many soldiers are wounded or dead, with the result: Ukraine has no fighters at the front. Now men are being mobilized who have no experience and do not want to fight. Many try to avoid military service, writes the Wall Street Journal.

Although the majority of Ukrainians still support the defense of the country, there are not enough volunteers left. The fact that men refuse military service is a serious problem, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, 45, said in February. At the same time, he made the penalties for desertion and disobedience in the army tougher. That caused annoyance. According to “Politico”, many Ukrainians have signed a petition. “The key to Ukraine’s victory is the observance of military discipline,” Zelensky replied. But the people grew weary of war.

“Turn your anger into firepower,” read posters touting military service. But that doesn’t seem to be of much use. As a result, the government now increasingly relies on military officials to issue subpoenas publicly. The number of complaints about inappropriate and violent mobilizations in the streets is increasing. Videos on social media show brutal arrests of men who ignored their marching orders. There are also reports of disabled men being recruited. In western Ukraine, a man without hands was declared fit and summoned.

Kiev denies allegations

The conservative Hungarian broadcaster “HirTV” writes: “Men between the ages of 18 and 60 are taken at random. No consideration is given to marital, mental or health status.” Ethnic Hungarians make up 12.5 percent of the Ukrainian population. They too are called up for military service – regardless of their political views.

Kiev denies such reports. “Kremlin propaganda continues to spread fakes and myths,” Ukraine’s deputy defense minister Hanna Malyar, 44, told Telegram.

Soldier training was cut short because of the war. The Wall Street Journal asked soldiers at the front how long they had been training. Some of them have only been trained for a few days and then deployed directly to the Donbas. Others had several weeks of preparation for the ministry.

Conscripts avoid public places

One thing is certain: not everyone wants to fight. But men of military age are not allowed to leave Ukraine. A 37-year-old man from Kiev paid $10,000 for several documents to help him leave the country after Russia’s attack. The man from Kiev only recently managed to flee to Poland as an alleged “volunteer helper”. “For the first time in a year I felt free and felt like my life was mine again,” he told WSJ.

A man from Dnepropetrovsk ignored five subpoenas. He has three children to take care of and is struggling with health issues. A young Kievan avoids public places such as cafes and restaurants. He fears being recruited by the military officials there.

Source: Blick