Ukraine to Call up Citizens Living Abroad

Losses are high, many fighters are exhausted: the Ukrainian army needs more soldiers. For the President, the question of mobilization is a “sensitive” one. Now, Defense Minister Umjerov wants to bring back men from abroad.

The Ukrainian army is running out of soldiers. In the search for more conscripts, the new Defense Minister, Rustem Umjerov, is considering drafting Ukrainian men living abroad. Ukrainians of military age, from 25 to 60 years old, in Germany and other countries, should be asked to report to the recruitment centers of the armed forces.

Although the Minister spoke of an invitation, he made it clear that sanctions would be imposed if someone did not comply with the call. “We are still discussing what should happen if they do not come voluntarily,” he said.

Military Wants up to 500,000 More Soldiers

The Ukrainian military wants to mobilize 450,000 to 500,000 additional soldiers to repel the Russian invasion. However, the financial and political conditions are not yet clear. President Volodymyr Zelensky referred to the mobilization as a “very sensitive issue.”

Umjerov said that fairness was important. In the future, those affected should know in advance how they would be trained and equipped, where and when they would serve, and when they would be discharged.

Escape and Bribery

Thousands of Ukrainian men try to avoid military service by fleeing abroad. Border controls are strict, officials search cars and tear apart disguises in trains. Men are also frequently intercepted at the green border. There are also many known cases of conscripts bribing their way out of service at recruitment centers.