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As Ukraine enters its fourth year of full-scale war following Russia’s invasion, its armed forces face a growing crisis.
The initial wave of volunteers eager to defend their country has waned, leaving the military struggling to replenish its ranks. Exhausted troops on the front lines urgently need reinforcements, yet an increasing number of Ukrainian men are going to great lengths to avoid conscription.Dwindling volunteers, rising avoidanceAcross Kyiv, billboards and online campaigns urge citizens to enlist. Army brigades have been given direct authority to recruit, intensifying mobilisation efforts. However, enthusiasm for voluntary enlistment has diminished, replaced by a growing reluctance among many men to answer the call to arms. Among them is Aslan, not his real name, who describes himself as an “avoider.” Fearful of forced recruitment, he has adapted his daily routine to evade authorities.”It became too dangerous to go out on the streets,” he says.The 30-year-old, once an active member of his community, now rarely leaves his home. He scrolls through his phone, showing videos of soldiers stopping vehicles, checking documents, and detaining men eligible for military service.”People are caught and sent to the army and to the front line,” he explains. “I support mobilisation because we need to protect our land, but not in this way. It’s not democratic. It should be based on good conditions and contracts. You should be trained in a military specialty. When you’re mobilised in a forced way, you have no choice except to be on the front line.”Avoiding the frontline at all costsDespite government efforts to improve recruitment conditions, serious concerns persist. The absence of clear demobilisation terms, reports of corruption, and controversial recruitment tactics have only increased resistance to enlistment. Many fear being sent away and never returning.Nazar, a real estate agent in Kyiv, also avoids walking the streets. His work has largely shifted online to reduce the risk of encountering recruitment patrols.”A third of my friends have already crossed the border, using bribes or forged draft exemption papers,” he says. “Another third came back from the frontline in coffins. The last third is still alive and fighting.”Nazar shares his worries about his own future. “I don’t know what my fate will be. I just want to live.”A war that demands more soldiersIn December 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that around 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in the fighting. However, it is estimated that the actual numbers is much higher. In Kyiv’s Maidan Square, a sea of Ukrainian flags honours the fallen. With no end to the conflict in sight, the government aims to recruit 200,000 more soldiers this year. But as conscription avoidance becomes more widespread, achieving this target appears increasingly difficult.As Ukraine braces for another year of war, the struggle to mobilise new troops is proving to be yet another battlefront.Valérie Gauriat, Euronews International Correspondent, reporting from Kyiv.
