Britain says raids in Ukraine to investigate draft dodgers
Ukrainian police are conducting raids across the country as part of an investigation into men dodging the draft, the British newspaper The Guardian reported on Friday, January 17.
"Ukrainian police said its officers are conducting 200 searches across the country as part of an ongoing investigation into the illegal departure from the country of men of draft age," the piece said.
According to the media outlet, the raids were a continuation of a nationwide investigation launched by law enforcement agencies. Kiev noted that police were searching about 600 homes, offices and other places. Law enforcers explained that the mass operation is aimed at the organizers of schemes "that help draft evaders to illegally cross the border".
Before that, on January 13, it was reported that in Ukraine, the border service opened warning fire to detain evaders who illegally tried to cross the border with Hungary. It is noted that seven men and one underage young man were detained.
On the same day in Ukraine, an employee of the Mykolaiv regional military enlistment office was detained for money, who helped citizens liable for military service to avoid mobilization. It is reported that the employee of the military enlistment office together with a colleague offered to help those liable for military service to avoid mobilization. For a payment of $4-5,000, they promised to influence doctors to forge medical documents with false diagnoses when passing the military medical commission.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (term expired May 20, 2024) signed the law on tightening mobilization on April 16. The document lists the categories of citizens who are subject to conscription. In addition, it toughens penalties for evading service in the AFU, but there are no provisions on demobilization.
Martial law in Ukraine has been in effect since February 2022. Later, the Verkhovna Rada repeatedly extended it. Most men aged between 18 and 60 are banned from leaving the country.
