Russian occupation makes young Ukrainian men illegal on their own land: join Russia’s army, or go to prison. So they run.
In 2024 alone, Russia drafted 5,500 men from Crimea. Since 2015, it has drafted 50,000+ Crimean residents into the Russian army. — Hromadske.
1/
Vasyl, 20, from Crimea got his first draft notice at 18 — at work.
He hid, moved across Russia, and fled through Belarus to Ukraine in Dec. 2025 — without documents.
2/
Bogdan, 18, from occupied Berdiansk, faced the same path.
Russian authorities pulled him from class, took him to a psychiatric hospital, registered him for the draft, and told him: “Free until 2026. Then — the army.”
3/
Russia now runs year-round conscription, starting Jan. 1, including occupied territories.
This violates the Rome Statute of the ICC. Moscow treats it as normal policy.
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At school in Crimea, teachers erased Ukraine.
They banned Ukrainian identity, hung Putin’s portraits, played Russia’s anthem, and punished posts about Ukraine.
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Russian officers push conscripts to sign contracts with the Russian army.
This lets Moscow claim “no mobilization” — only “voluntary service.”
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Ukrainian intelligence reports that in fall 2024, Russia forced about 300 men into service in occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions during the first draft there.
7/
Draft age in Russia: 18–30.
Many targets were children in 2022 — 14–17 years old when the full-scale invasion began.
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Despite the risk, young men escape via humanitarian routes through Belarus, often without passports, then fight bureaucracy in Ukraine to prove who they are.
9/
Some plan temporary emigration. Most say the same thing: They will return to Ukraine.
Russia drafts. Ukraine waits for them back.
10X
Source: hromadske.ua/viyna/258185-k…
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