Kyiv, Ukraine

As Ukraine faces a series of losses on the frontlines amid its ongoing war with Russia, a report by the New York Times said Kyiv has ramped up conscription efforts and while many Ukrainian men have answered the call to serve, thousands are either hiding or fleeing the country. 

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Thousands try to evade conscription

Vladyslav, a 45-year-old Ukrainian who went into hiding, told the NYT that officers serving draft notices are “everywhere now,” forcing thousands who are trying to evade conscription to either stay in hiding or flee the war-torn country. 

According to the report, even before the latest mobilisation push thousands of Ukrainian men fled the country, including some who swam across the river separating Ukraine and Romania. 

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Currently, Ukrainian officials are scouring the country to find draft men of military age, which is 25 to 60, as of now. However, many including Vladyslav fear that the conscription would be a “one-way ticket to the front line,” the NYT reported. 

The report noted that while the number of men trying to avoid being drafted is unclear, tens of thousands of men are part of social media groups which alert other members about the movements of draft officers. 

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NYT citing military analysts said that Kyiv is having a difficult time holding its lines because the Ukrainian troops often lack proper and enough training as Ukraine is quick to send personnel to the battleground to replace losses. 

However, Colonel Volodymyr Novosiadlyi, an official responsible for conscription in Kyiv told the newspaper that those drafted are trained for at least a month and that the military is also trying to treat draftees with fairness and empathy. 

He added, “Every citizen should understand the need to fulfill their duties” in defending their country.

The mobilisation law passed in April made it compulsory for all draft-age men to register their details on a government website based on which the draftees would be chosen. Failure to register by July 16 will be a criminal offence. 

Ukraine sends criminals to front lines

Earlier this year, the Ukrainian parliament also adopted a law which authorised certain convicts to fight on the frontlines. The move, which Russia was once criticised for, led thousands of prisoners to trade their prison jumpsuits for Ukrainian army uniforms. 

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More than 2,750 convicts have been released from Ukrainian prisons since the law was adopted in May, according to a report by the Washington Post. 

The law authorised certain convicts including those jailed for dealing drugs and committing armed assaults and murders were allowed to enlist. 

However, it does not allow those convicted of crimes against the foundations of national security of Ukraine, or particularly serious corruption offences.

After the law was passed, the Ukrainian justice ministry said that the inmates, who must sign up of their own free will, would serve in separate units.     

(With inputs from agencies)