Escape from military service
20,000 Ukrainians stopped at the border
09/06/2023 12:32 am
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Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, men of military age have not been allowed to leave the country. Still, many try. The Ukrainian border guards are naming numbers for the first time: 20,000 men were stopped trying to escape. EU figures show how many have made it.
Since the Russian invasion began more than 18 months ago, Ukraine’s border guards have prevented more than 20,000 conscripts from escaping. “In total, the border guards have arrested around 14,600 people who wanted to leave Ukraine illegally since February 24 last year,” said border guard spokesman Andriy Demchenko on news television. In addition, around 6,200 men were caught with forged exit permits.
Many Ukrainians try to evade military service. Demchenko said that fugitives were apprehended at the “green border” in particular to Romania and the Republic of Moldova. It is mainly about men between the ages of 18 and 60 years. The authorities had already announced that at least 19 men had drowned in the river Tyssa (Theiss) that borders Romania and Hungary. Several also froze to death while fleeing through the Carpathians. At the beginning of the war, a general mobilization was ordered with a ban on conscript men between the ages of 18 and 60 leaving the country. According to the EU statistics agency Eurostat, however, more than 650,000 Ukrainian men aged 18 to 64 are registered as refugees in the 27 EU countries plus Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Kyiv considers request for extradition
Kiev is considering obtaining the extradition of conscripts who have left the country illegally, including from EU countries. The sale of military exemption documents is booming in Ukraine. After a wave of raids with arrests in the conscription offices ordered by President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, the price for such papers is now over 10,000 euros, according to judicial information.
Zelenskyj announced at the end of August that the authorities would review all cases of decommissioning for alleged health reasons. Zelenskyj reported that up to 13,700 euros in bribes were paid for exemption from military service. There will be a separate check if someone has left the country after a suspicious decision by the drafting commission.