Ukrainians pay up to 20 thousand dollars just to escape the country – The Washington Post reported

As Ukraine prepares to intensify its military draft following the registration deadline earlier this week, more Ukrainian men are evading conscription by paying thousands of dollars for help in illegally leaving the country.

This information reports The Washington Post.

According to Ukrainian officials and men who have paid for this service, smugglers assisting with border crossings often charge over $5,000. Those caught frequently face exactly what they were hoping to avoid: military service.

“The main thing I realized at some point – and it scared me – was that I wouldn’t be able to decide for myself whether to mobilize or not, that I wouldn’t be able to determine the fate of my freedom,” said 37-year-old Oleksandr, who paid $8,000 for assistance crossing the border in late May.

The authors note that the high costs and risks some men are willing to take to avoid conscription highlight the growing tension within Ukrainian society. Over two years into the war, few of those who have not yet volunteered to fight are willing to do so now.

“Even before the draft deadline, officials stated that the number of newly mobilized soldiers had more than doubled in May and June compared to the previous two months. … Men aged 18 to 60 have been prohibited from leaving the country without permission since martial law was introduced in February 2022. Kyiv is increasingly restricting those who are allowed to leave legally for short periods and for specific purposes. Even some members of parliament have complained that their requests for business trips were denied,” the media outlet reminds.

Recently, the Ministry of Defense detailed the procedure for imposing fines for not updating military registration data on time. For failing to update their military records by July 16, not all those liable for military service will be fined immediately – the relevant procedure can last from three months to a year.