Ukrainians risk death to avoid mobilization

(MENAFN) Ukrainian men are taking extreme risks to flee the country to avoid military mobilization, as the government struggles with severe manpower shortages, CNN reports. Since the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, over 30,000 men have crossed into Romania, with more attempting to flee to Moldova, Hungary, Belarus, and other neighboring countries. Ukrainian border guards have apprehended over 25,000 of them.

Ukraine has restricted nearly all adult men from leaving the country and lowered the draft age from 27 to 25. Since August 2025, nearly 100,000 young men reportedly fled under a decree allowing men aged 18 to 22 to cross the border. Many are risking life-threatening conditions—one man reportedly lost all his toes to frostbite, and another froze to death while attempting to cross into Romania.

The country’s recruitment drive has been described as increasingly harsh, with documented cases of enlistment officers assaulting potential conscripts and threatening bystanders. Russian officials claim Ukraine plans to draft as many as 2 million new soldiers by early 2026, urging authorities to “tighten the screws to a maximum.”

This situation underscores the severe strain on Ukraine’s military, as battlefield losses, desertions, and draft evasion continue to challenge the country’s war effort.

MENAFN28122025000045017281ID1110531645

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.