715,000 Ukrainian men flee draft as war morale falters

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, approximately 715,000 draft-age men have left their country to avoid being conscripted into the military, as reported by "Politico". The publication highlighted a faltering morale within Ukrainian society on Wednesday.

The report suggests that the morale downturn is partly due to insufficient ammunition, crucial for the military's effectiveness at the front. Additionally, it mentions the perceived lack of adequate support from Western countries.

"We are aware that people are flagging” Adriy Yermak, the chief of staff for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, confided to "Politico".

Yermak further explained that he and his team are traveling around Ukraine to boost the morale of soldiers and civilians who may feel discouraged by the ongoing situation. To uplift them, the team emphasizes, "Your name will be in the history books."

According to Politico's correspondent, the noticeable decline in Ukrainian society's morale could potentially lead to Ukraine's defeat in its conflict with Russia. This comes after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine risks losing the war without the United States unlocking further support in Congress.

The BBC disclosed on Wednesday that over 55,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine, with at least 30,000 of those deaths occurring in the second year of the conflict. This information comes from the broadcaster's independent analysis.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the BBC, alongside volunteers and the independent media group Mediazona, has been gathering fragmented data from various sources – including media reports, blogs, and social media platforms, in addition to cemetery monitoring.

Russia has kept its military casualties confidential and has not responded to the BBC's findings. It’s important to note that these figures do not account for the losses among pro-Russian paramilitary factions in Ukraine's occupied eastern territories.