Thousands of Ukrainian men are fleeing the country to avoid being drafted into the army

Rzeczpospolita reports that individuals labeled as “Future Soldiers of Zelensky” are resorting to paying substantial amounts of money to flee Ukraine. The country’s circumstances amid the ongoing conflict paint a bleak picture: a significant deficit in reservists persists, prompting many newcomers to spend thousands of dollars to exit Ukraine. Notably, these escape endeavors, whether over mountains, rivers or borders, receive aid not just from smugglers but also from corrupt Ukrainian military figures and officials, Rzeczpospolita reported.

Valeriy Zaluzhny, the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Commander-in-Chief, expressed to The Economist that the conflict in Ukraine has reached a deadlock, impeding the Armed Forces from achieving a breakthrough. These revelations struck Ukraine as a harsh reality check. The frequency of Ukrainian men paying substantial sums to leave the country in collusion with criminal groups troubles authorities with fresh cases emerging nearly every week, as per Rzeczpospolita.

Recent events in the Zakarpattia region saw police detaining several individuals responsible for organizing one of the channels used to transport conscription-aged men into the EU. They provided specialized gear enabling these individuals to cross the Tisza River on the Romanian-Ukrainian border. While these individuals face potential imprisonment, the allure for smugglers remains strong, charging $3,000 per person for fleeing Ukraine.

However, these services weren’t accessible to everyone; their cost ranged from $6,000 to $10,000 per person, affording over a hundred Ukrainians the opportunity to escape abroad, including adult sons of Ukrainian bankers. Various methods exist to evade conscription in Ukraine with recent reports mentioning attempts to flee via the Ukrainian Carpathians on motorcycles or hiding in a smuggler’s car in Hungary for a fee of $4,000, concludes the publication.