As the war with Russia moves into its fifth year, Ukraine is encountering serious difficulties in mobilizing men to join the fight.
Reluctance to enlist stems from a range of factors, including fear of front-line combat and widespread hesitation to serve in a conflict with no clear resolution.
These tensions have escalated in some cases to physical assaults on recruitment personnel conducting forced conscriptions.
According to the latest National Police Service figures, more than 600 attacks on recruiters have been documented so far, with authorities warning that the hostility is growing “increasingly threatening.”
In April, multiple recruiters were stabbed, one of them fatally. Earlier this month in Lviv, roughly 200 demonstrators surrounded officers attempting to arrest a suspected draft evader, overturning and damaging their vehicle.
The incident drew national attention after President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced violence directed at active servicemen.
Sarah Rainsford reported on the recent surge in attacks.
