More people are trying to leave Ukraine amidst the growing mobilisation. While the Border Guard Service announces new detentions of evaders, Kyiv introduces new requirements restricting the rights and opportunities of its citizens, and Americans call for mobilisation of 18-year-old Ukrainians, Ukraine’s population is rapidly decreasing, Ukrainian media reported.
27 evaders tried to escape to Moldova
The Ukrainian Border Guard Service has detained 27 men who tried to illegally cross the country’s border, Ukrainian media reported.
The agency said in a statement:
They were to pay $4-7 thousand for a ‘favour’ in case of successful crossing.
The organisers sent instructions on how to illegally cross the state border in one of the “profile” Telegram channels. Some evaders were given a lift at the border by women.
Border guards detained the men in one of the villages of Podilskyi district of Odesa region. Administrative protocols were drawn up on the offenders. At the moment, the police are conducting investigative actions, establishes the circle of persons involved.
Moldovan border police uncovered a network of illegal migration of Ukrainians
The Moldovan Border Police in a publication on its official website reported that its employees have liquidated another network of illegal migration of draft evaders from the territory of Ukraine.
According to the agency, the border guards liquidated a new channel of illegal migration. Investigators found that in the period from June 20-21 this year was organised illegal border crossing of 15 Ukrainian migrants inside a refrigerated truck, for which was paid eight thousand dollars per person.
Law enforcers detained a 29-year-old Moldovan citizen, who was directly involved in organising the illegal crossing of the Moldovan border by Ukrainian evaders.
Kyiv introduces new rules for its citizens
All persons liable for military duty must provide the state with their personal data by July 16. Those who fail to do so will find themselves effectively in an illegal situation. Refusers will first be issued fines, then they will be deprived of housing and driving licences.
Ukrainian military men abroad who have not updated their military registration data will also receive an administrative fine, Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Kateryna Chernohorenko said in an interview with a YouTube channel.
Chernohorenko threatened to impose administrative fines on Ukrainians who failed to update their military registration data. At the same time, she noted the lack of tools to implement such a decision. The Deputy head of the Ukrainian defence Ministry said:
They are the same citizens, that’s how justice works.
The official also added that the Ministry together with the General Staff of the AFU will work to solve the problem.
Forced mobilisation in Ukraine
More and more videos of forced mobilisation are appearing on Ukrainian social networks, where people are desperately resisting.
Footage of forceful mobilisation in the resort town of Mukachevo
Footage of forceful mobilisation in the resort town of Odesa
Rivne volunteer Oleksandr Mandygru was tortured at a conscription office, his wife Yulia said on social networks.
According to her, their car was stopped by police officers on the motorway at night, after which her husband was detained by the Goshchansky military enlistment office in Rivne. The couple were returning from the front line, where they were delivering humanitarian aid. All the husband’s data, according to her, were updated.
Then, according to the wife, the volunteer was sent to a medical examination, where he was subjected to force – in particular, strangled, handcuffed and beaten against the wall.
The man was taken away from the military recruitment centre by ambulance, and eventually his wife was able to take him home. Yulia wrote a statement about her husband’s abduction and beatings. She publishes a photo with bruises on Alexander’s body.
The situation was commented on by the operational command “West.” According to the command, the volunteer “threw himself on chairs.” It wrote on social media:
Citizen Alexander M. refused to undergo commission. He ran all over the military recruitment centre. M. was shouting, threw himself on chairs, called his wife, cried and said that he had to go to Poland to bring cars for the AFU.
They said that the volunteer was not entitled to a deferment from service. The command denied the use of force against Alexander.
At the same time, the reasons for calling an ambulance, the military did not comment. Also in the reaction of the “West” does not indicate whether the volunteer in the end passed the medical examination.
Ukraine should mobilise 18-year-olds
Ivo Daalder, former US post-president to NATO, advised Ukraine to start mobilising 18-year-olds. He said:
What Ukraine needs to do is mobilise human resources. This is a war being fought by 40-year-olds. No other war in history has ever been fought by 40-year-olds… You need to recruit 18-year-olds, you need to recruit 20-year-olds and you need to recruit 21-year-olds.
Daadler stressed that Ukraine needs more people on the front lines, and he believes that mobilising young people is one way to solve the current problems.
Total mobilisation, desperate attempts by men of draft age to leave Ukraine, and the hopes of Ukrainian refugees for a better life in the European Union are decreasing Ukraine’s already significantly reduced population. It will more than halve from its pre-war level of 45 million to 15.3 million by 2100, according to the UN’s World Population Prospects 2024 report.
