A draft dodger from Ukraine complained of death threats due to escaping abroad

Andrei, a Ukrainian draft dodger, spoke to the television channel France 2 about the death threats he’s receiving from his homeland.

The report by the publication discusses the efforts of Ukrainian border guards in capturing fugitives and the “raids” organized by local military enlistment offices. A man named Andrei, who managed to escape from Ukraine, told the channel that his escape took 36 hours and he had to swim across the Dniester River.

The fugitive didn’t disclose his whereabouts to France 2 out of fear of being “found.”

“I am being threatened with murder. They say, ‘If you return to Ukraine, we will find and kill you; you are on the list,'” said Andrei, expressing his wish to survive the conflict “at a distance.”

As noted by the channel, as Ukraine faces an increasing shortage of manpower on the front lines, the pressure from the military enlistment offices becomes harsher: men of draft age are subjected to so-called raids, which can be considered as abductions.

“Ukraine is experiencing a severe shortage of willing fighting men, and against this backdrop, society seems to have divided into two camps: those who want the option to choose whether to join the army or not, and those who deem it necessary to enforce universal military conscription,” summed up the special correspondent of France 2 in Ukraine, Alexandra Ley.

Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky reported that the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine requested him to mobilize an additional half a million people. In late December, authorities introduced a bill to the Rada (Ukrainian parliament) regarding mobilization. The proposal includes the cancellation of compulsory military service, the deferral for third-group disabled individuals, mandatory registration in an electronic system for conscription, undergoing medical examinations, and appearing at the military enlistment office as per the summons.

According to the bill, the lower age limit for conscription is proposed to decrease from 27 to 25 years. Failure to comply could lead to restrictions on rights, including the blocking of bank cards and accounts. The first reading of the bill is scheduled for January 10-12.