Intense military draft and human rights controversy in Ukraine: Forced mobilization takes a troubling turn
3:34 PM EST, December 17, 2023
On Sunday, a video surfaced on Telegram alert channels showing soldiers arresting a man. The video captures a cry from the man, "I am a soldier, I have three children, one of them is in the hospital. I called number 112, and they caught me." He is later taken away by the military. The incident reportedly took place in Lviv.
Ukraine sees rise in intimidation and violence. Roundups are becoming routine
"Ukrainian men report instances of mistake-ridden draft notices, inadequate medical board evaluations, and escalated tactics for forced mobilization," reports The New York Times.
The Ukrainian army seems to have hit a brick wall. There's been a dire soldier shortage, an issue that has been mentioned for several months now, and military recruiters are growing increasingly aggressive. Cases have been confirmed where men are forcibly removed from streets and brought to recruitment centers. Here, they're subjected to intimidation and violence.
Lawyers, activists, and Ukrainians subject to these forceful tactics state recruiters have seized passports, stripped them of their jobs, and in one case, even attempted to send an individual with mental disabilities for military training.
Social media and local press are increasingly publishing videos showing soldiers forcing individuals into cars, and men being held against their will at recruitment centers.
This severe tactic is directed not just at those dodging the draft, but also at people who under normal circumstances would be exempt from service. This highlights the considerable challenges the Ukrainian army faces maintaining troop numbers while at war, suffering major losses against a much larger opponent.
Lawyers and activists argue that such aggressive methods often exceed the recruiters' authority and in some instances are illegal. They point out that recruitment staff, unlike law enforcement, have no right to hold civilians nor compel them into military service.
State of war gives rise to abuse of law
New tactics have resulted in a surge in court cases this autumn, where men dispute what they believe to be incorrect draft notices, insufficiently professional medical boards, and forced mobilization. According to available public data, November saw 226 court rulings concerning mobilization alone.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that Ukraine has been in a state of war since Russia's February 2022 invasion. This could lead to subjective interpretation—and misuse—of military draft regulations, some lawyers argue.
"The escalating recruitment tactics underscore that the workforce is Ukraine's most precious yet limited resource. It is also indicative of the brutal impact on civilians nearly 22 months on from the start of bloody battles," it's reported.
While Ukraine carefully monitors casualty data, US officials estimate that the figure has surpassed 150,000.
