Following numerous cases of Ukrainian military medical commissions and other authorized offices accepting bribes to fraudulently issue medical exemption certificates for potential conscripts, President Zelensky ordered a full review of all releases granted since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
On Sept. 1 David Arachamia, leader of Ukraine’s Servant of the People party, said that Ukrainian law enforcement agencies should demand the extradition of men of military age who had illegally left Ukraine to escape mobilization and prosecute them.
The Polish news outlet, Rzeczpospolitej reported on data provided by Poland’s Border Guard that 2.87 million Ukrainian adults had crossed into Poland between Feb. 24, 2022 and Aug. 31 this year. It was estimated that around 80,000 men aged 18-60, who were potentially eligible for military service, had entered the country; the whereabouts of whom are currently not known.
A spokesperson for the Polish Border Guard, Lt. Anna Michalska, is quoted as saying that it was not known how many actually met the exemption requirements.
Ukraine shares borders with five countries where Ukrainian men may have entered: Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. It is feared that the number of those who have fled may run into the tens of thousands.
Fedir Venislavsky, a member of Ukraine’s National Security, Defense and Intelligence Committee said the numbers of those who illicitly avoided going to war and took refuge abroad is hugely significant. “These people could be mobilized and increase the ranks of our armed forces, thereby strengthening our defense and security.”
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Inspector Mariusz Ciarka, a spokesman for the Poland’s Police Headquarters indicated that there had been a number of instances of individuals intercepted trying to cross the border illegally without an exemption. This did not only include those “dodging the draft,” but also Poles who were in the process of facilitating the action.
In the case of those who appeared to have an exemption and crossed apparently legally, the inspector said it was more complicated. In those cases, it would be necessary for Ukraine to issue an international arrest warrant for each individual case. The details would be entered into Poland’s National Police Information System (KSIP) and shared with Interpol.
If a Ukrainian was stopped for something such as a traffic offence, KSIP would flag the fact and the person would be detained. However, the police could not act on the warrant until a Polish court had approved extradition.
In July the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) charged the MP Lyudmila Marchenko and her assistant with corruption or demanding a bribe to provide a man with a permit to leave Ukraine as well as registering him on the Shlyakh system, which allows men of military age to leave the country.
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Comments (4)
Why doesn't Ukraine revoke the citizenship of the fugitive conscripts?
If they want to re-enter the country after the war, they would be denied entry.
It shouldn't be that difficult to find these men, you would need this list:
- All men of military age
All men are removed from the list:
- serving in the army
- who have served in the army
- who are patients in hospitals
- who demonstrably live / work / study in Ukraine
- others?
All those who are still on the list must report briefly to their city administration. Anyone who does not report is likely to have fled.
What about men who fled to Switzerland and started a new life like nothing is happening??
In this particular situation and war, there is another explanation not discussed in the article. Is it not possible that those who consider themselves ethnic Russians, perhaps even with family/friends in Russia, but are Ukraine citizens? Should such people be forced into service for Ukraine? Think. Such people would flee at the first indication of a fight, or worse, sabotage Ukrainian efforts.
Let's say the USA goes to war with Mexico. Would it be smart to draft ethnic Mexicans with strong attachments to their home country to go to war against it? Certainly not.
@Stockholm, That is exactly what the US did in WW 1 and 2. My ethnic Hungarian grandfather was drafted into the WW1 US army to fight his fellow Hungarians of the Habsburg Empire. Japannese-American were drafted and volunteered to fight Imperial Japan in WW2.
@Stockholm, I dont agree that Ukrainien ethnic Russians would sabotate Ukrainian efforts.
Back in 1938, when Germany invided the Czechosovakia. The Czechosovakiaan army mobilized as well German speaking citizens.
Note out of 10 mil Czechoslovaks were 3 milions German speaking.
1 mil Hungarians, 2 mil Slovakians,1/2mil Ukrainian.
Almost non of the German speaking citizens refused to be mobilized.
They should start by drafting women too.