British magazine The Economist reported that residents of Odessa are forced to hide at home from mobilisation and are even afraid to go out on the street, while many men of draft age have fled Ukraine abroad.
“Those who are not yet fighting are increasingly hiding from Odessa’s conscript officers, who have a reputation for ruthlessness. Men in green uniforms regularly carry out sweeps of city buses, gyms and railway stations, often forcibly removing their victims,” The Economist said.
The magazine noted that the recent lowering of the minimum age for mobilisation from 27 to 25 is another problem for Ukrainian men.
“You can leave, but it’s a one-way ticket. You can go to the front line, but that can also be a one-way ticket. Or you can stay here and live in fear,” Alexander, a bartender from Odessa, told the publication.
According to him, he feels stuck: not wanting to leave his home, but fearing that next time representatives of the military enlistment office might knock on his door.
“Officers hide near bus stops and stop buses as they depart, checking the documents of any guy who fits their profile,” Vladislav, another Odessa resident, told the magazine.
He specified that only the bravest young people use public transport in his city. Vladislav noted that the Kiev authorities are singling out Odessa under the plan for mobilisation, while in Kiev itself the recruitment is much less aggressive.
“The need on the front line is stronger than ever, and no one voluntarily goes to fight,” – concluded the magazine.
We will remind, earlier Sykhov district court of Lviv sentenced a Ukrainian to three years in prison for refusing to mobilise in the AFU.