Ukraine warns tougher military drafts ahead as many evade service

Ukraine may introduce unpopular measures to bolster military mobilisation, as a significant number of reservists continue to evade service, the country’s military ombudsman has warned.

In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Olha Reshetylova highlighted that many eligible personnel avoid enlistment due to uncertainty over service terms.

“Many reservists are avoiding service because they fear the unknown. Our working group is trying to develop a clear framework to provide certainty. But I have to say, there won’t be any popular solutions. Clearly, they will be unpopular, and society must be prepared for that,” Reshetylova said.

She stressed the need to set firm timeframes for service, while acknowledging the challenges involved.

“We need to calculate not only how many personnel we have available for mobilisation, how many are already serving, and how many will need to be released if fixed service terms are introduced, but also consider sociology, social psychology, and communication. It all fits into one formula,” she explained.

Addressing long-term draft evaders, Reshetylova added: “Those who have been avoiding service for years will not like this. But there is no other way. You cannot indefinitely rely on the same people; their capacity also has limits.”

The comments come amid growing concern in Kyiv over the sustainability of Ukraine’s mobilisation system as the conflict with Russia continues.

By Aghakazim Guliyev