Draft dodgers caught in refrigerator truck trying to escape Ukraine

A group of 16 Ukrainian draft dodgers, as well as two foreigners who are now accused of smuggling, have been caught by law enforcement while attempting to leave the country in a refrigerator truck, Odessa police announced on Monday.

The military-age men were found hiding inside the truck behind a haul of large pieces of beef. The meat truck was heading for Moldova and was operated by the two foreigners, the police have said, without elaborating on the nationality of the suspected smugglers.

Each of the would-be dodgers paid between $6,000 and $8,000 to the smugglers for the trip, according to the police. The smugglers had allegedly offered additional ‘services’ to their clients, namely promising to get their documents properly stamped as if they had entered Moldova legally and charging an additional €2,000 (some $2,200) for this.

The smugglers are now facing charges of illegally trafficking people across the border. If found guilty, they risk landing behind bars for seven to nine years, given they had been acting as an organized group and received money for their services.

In recent months, a growing number of attempts to escape Ukraine have been undertaken by draft dodgers, including trying to leave the country in large groups. It’s estimated that over 100 military-age men have been trying to leave the country daily, the head of a border service department, Igor Matviychuk, said back in June, insisting most of the fugitives end up caught.

Media reports, however, suggested the figure was at least three times as high, with significant numbers seeking to leave Ukraine actually succeeding in their endeavor.

Kiev has maintained a mobilization drive since the early days of the conflict with Russia, which broke out in late February 2022. Over time, the campaign has grown increasingly lawless and violent, with numerous videos circulating online showing enlistment officers assaulting potential recruits in the streets, raiding public transport, and trying to dislodge motorists from their vehicles.

The draft effort became even more severe with a controversial mobilization law enacted this April. The legislation lowered the conscription age from 27 to 25, greatly simplified mobilization procedures, empowered enlistment officers, and introduced new penalties for draft dodgers. Over the past few months, however, multiple Ukrainian public figures and officials suggested the draft age should be lowered even further.

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