Ukrainian conscripts caught fleeing to the EU face harsh penalties

Young Ukrainians do not always rush to mandatory military service. Some try to escape to Poland and Hungary. "Harvesters" who wanted to escape through the Ukrainian-Hungarian border illegally were detained by Ukrainian border guards. The recording has been posted online—now all Ukrainians can see it.

Ukraine seeks forces to fight the Russian invaders. To recruit more soldiers, the authorities in Kyiv lowered the conscription age from 25 to 27. However, not all young Ukrainians want to defend their country.

Some Ukrainians travel to European Union countries to avoid military service. Occasionally, authorities detain escapees trying to cross into Poland and Hungary.

Recently, Ukrainians detained, among others, a group trying to cross into Hungary through wheat fields. Ten men paid smugglers between $7,000 and $10,000 for help in crossing the border.

Their "journey" turned out to be a failure. Authorities awaited conscripts trying to avoid military service. Although two people tried to escape, Ukrainian border guards detained everyone involved in the illegal escape attempt.

They will now explain themselves to investigators. Escapees face a very high administrative penalty. The Ukrainian authorities have the right to confiscate properties, among other things. Meanwhile, the organizers of the crossing through the grain fields face many years in prison.

Let's add that Ukrainian authorities are trying to prevent the illegal avoidance of mandatory military service. Kyiv is suspending the operation of consulates in European Union countries. All this ensures that potential conscripts cannot renew their passports and must return to the government.