‘Everyone's afraid to die’: Struggle to recruit soldiers in Ukraine turns violent

A growing wave of violence has erupted in Ukraine as the government grapples with the challenge of recruiting soldiers amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. The situation reached a boiling point recently when Vasyl Krupych, a decorated Ukrainian soldier, was severely beaten by civilians while attempting to apprehend individuals suspected of evading the draft. The incident highlights the deepening tensions surrounding conscription in a nation that has endured five years of relentless warfare. Krupych, who fought in the Donbas region, described the attack as both shocking and deeply personal. He recounted how two men refused to show identification and fled when confronted by his patrol. During the pursuit, Krupych suffered a fractured rib and spent six weeks in the hospital. “What did we fight for, if soldiers can now get beaten?” he asked during a recent interview. His experience is emblematic of a broader trend that has increasingly drawn attention from officials and analysts alike. According to Ukraine’s military ombudswoman, incidents involving the assault of recruitment personnel have become regular occurrences and represent a major issue. Recent reports indicate that over 600 such assaults have occurred, with the aggression becoming more severe over time. In April, several recruiters faced serious threats, including one fatality. More recently, in Lviv, approximately 200 protesters gathered around officers trying to arrest a suspect for avoiding the draft, resulting in damage to their vehicle and heightened public concern. President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly criticized the violence against service members following the Lviv incident. However, his decision to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, citing differences in leadership style and strategy, may hinder efforts to resolve the current crisis. This move underscores the complexity of addressing the issue within the political landscape. The motivations behind the resistance to conscription vary widely. Fear of combat, exacerbated by the widespread knowledge of injuries and deaths among acquaintances, plays a significant role. Additionally, many citizens are reluctant to commit to a war perceived as having no clear resolution. A brief surge in enlistment followed Ukraine’s successful counteroffensive in late 2023, but this momentum has since waned. Oleksandr Honcharenko, an opposition member of parliament, attributes the backlash to the harsh measures taken by military authorities. He notes that the aggressive tactics employed by recruiters often lead to further unrest. “These officers are hunting for people on the streets and sometimes using quite violent methods,” Honcharenko stated, emphasizing the cyclical nature of the conflict. Ivan Stupak, a military analyst, corroborates these concerns. He explains that due to continuous losses on the battlefield, Ukraine’s high command resorted to what is known locally as “busification.” This practice involves deploying mobile patrols aimed at rounding up individuals for mandatory service. If individuals resist, confrontations frequently escalate into street fights. For every account of a recruiter being attacked, there are stories of recruiters engaging in misconduct. Last year, the Human Rights Commissioner documented over 6,000 complaints related to abuses committed by recruiters, doubling the number from the previous year. These allegations encompass everything from physical mistreatment and unlawful detentions to substandard living conditions at recruitment centers. Kyrylo Ogdansky, a university professor exempt from the draft, shared his harrowing encounter with recruiters in Dnipro last November. He was approached by a civilian who sought to verify his draft status. Despite being legally exempt, Ogdansky found himself subjected to brutal treatment, underscoring the pervasive issues surrounding the enforcement of conscription laws.