Ukrainians warned of military enlistment ‘raids’
Ukrainian men have been warned to expect a draft summons anywhere, and at any time of day, as the conflict with Russia continues.
Kiev’s top draft officer told local media on Monday that his agency will continue raids to hand enlistment notices to eligible citizens.
Speaking to Ukraine’s TSN news outlet, Colonel Yuri Maksimov, who heads Kiev City Recruitment and Social Support Center, claimed that while Ukraine has reached “the highest stage of mobilization,” its military still needs to bring its personnel up to full strength.
“All men under the age of 60 who are liable for military service should expect to be served with draft papers,” he said, reminding that those who attempt to dodge conscription may face up to five years in prison.
The draft officer projected that mobilization would extend into the next year. “While we are at war, we must ensure that we have personnel not only for defense but also for the offensive to liberate our territories,” he said.
Maksimov also insisted that the nation’s legislation implies that the draft papers could be handed to Ukrainians in any location. “There are no prohibitions on where the military summons can be served,” he stressed.
In late September, Mikhail Podoliak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, said that Kiev would not announce an additional military mobilization for now, given that Ukraine had already “created reserves through the territorial defense system.”
After Russia launched its military campaign against Ukraine in late February, both nations called up new troops to boost their militaries. However, while Moscow embarked on a partial mobilization in September with plans to enroll a total of 300,000 reservists, Kiev ordered general mobilization immediately after large-scale hostilities broke out. In May, Alexey Reznikov, the Ukrainian defense minister, said that the military plans to call up one million people.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has on numerous occasions noted that Kiev’s forces are suffering heavy losses. In late September, he claimed that Ukraine loses about 50 service members every day.
The same month, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced that while Russia had lost 6,000 troops since the beginning of the offensive, Ukraine had lost about 61,000.
