Military service against one's will Ukrainian commando hunts down conscripted men

As the war in eastern Ukraine rages on unabated, the pressure on Ukrainian men of military age is growing. The recruiting authorities want to replenish the ranks of the armed forces.

As the "human resource" is slowly becoming scarce due to many losses in the war against Russian troops, the Ukrainian recruitment authority is intensively looking for reinforcements for the fighting in eastern Ukraine.

A team of reporters from " Spiegel TV " accompanied a patrol of the recruitment authority at work in Kiev. Supported by the police, the officers are specifically looking for war resisters.

"We are from the recruitment center. Please show us your military ID," one of the officers asks a passer-by. The man explains that he does not have his military ID with him. "I have another military certificate," he explains. However, this has expired.

Manhunt for conscientious objectors

"You have to go to the recruitment center and have it updated," he is told. The pressure on men of military age is great. Many of them were last registered years or even decades ago and their papers are out of date.

"You have to acknowledge receipt. If you refuse the summons, you will be put on the wanted list," the officer continues. The man, who was last registered by the military in 2005, receives a summons to the recruitment center.

There is still no general mobilization in Ukraine, but all men between the ages of 25 and 60 can theoretically be called up for service on the front line.

"Hello, how old are you?" an officer asks another passer-by. "52," he replies and shows his papers. "We'll send you a summons to the recruitment center so that you can register." Not all the men are cooperative. The man says he is a member of Jehovah's Witnesses and refuses to serve with a weapon for religious reasons.

"Anyone who takes up arms will die"

"As Jesus Christ said, anyone who takes up arms will die by them," he explains. "But how can I go to war against my brothers, who may also be Jehovah's Witnesses?" The authorities ultimately decide whether he is exempted or conscripted.

The war is omnipresent in the recruitment office of the Third Assault Brigade in Kiev. Around 30 volunteers report here every day. "Our brigade is constantly involved in combat operations," explains commander and recruiter Rusin.

"Our people are wounded, maimed or die. That's why we have to keep replenishing our ranks." The soldiers who register the volunteers here have themselves lost arms or legs in battle and are now helping on the PC.

Over ten percent of the volunteers are women

The brigade has a legendary reputation, which attracts many interested people. "What would you like to do?" a commander asks a young volunteer. "Drone pilot," he replies. "Because I've been playing computer games since I was a child." He explains that during the two and a half years of war, his fear was much greater than now, when he can actively "do something" instead of waiting around.

The volunteers are not just men; around 10 to 15% are women. One of them is 20-year-old Irina. "I have a degree in cooking and I think that's a good skill to help," she says.

Meanwhile, the recruitment authorities continue their search for conscientious objectors. "I don't have any documents with me, everything is at home," claims another passer-by who is trying to avoid being checked on a street in Kiev.

Criticism of forced participation

"This is forced participation in the war," he says. "I didn't serve, I don't have a military ID, and I have a criminal record." But in the end, this man also signs the summons, possibly out of fear of further difficulties.

The work of the recruiting authorities is necessary to ensure that Ukraine does not lose this war. And yet many hope that diplomacy and negotiations will soon replace fighting in order to prevent further human casualties.