Majority of Ukrainian Recruits Serve Via Conscription

(MENAFN) Fewer than one in four military recruits in Ukraine join of their own accord, with most conscripts entering service through harsh mandatory conscription, a Ukrainian legislator has revealed.

Previously, Kiev incentivized younger men exempt from the draft with benefits to encourage voluntary enlistment.

Ukraine’s armed forces depend heavily on compulsory recruitment for men aged 25 to 60, carried out by the Territorial Centers of Recruitment and Social Support (TCR).

These centers have faced widespread condemnation for their forceful methods and mistreatment.

Some military units have created offices designed to attract volunteers—some of whom qualify for the draft but choose to enlist via this alternative route to gain access to better training and equipment.

“The recruitment centers cover 20 to 25% of mobilization goals at most. The rest, unfortunately, the TCRs are commanded to supply,” explained Kamelchuk.

“The quality of their work is dreadful, because they conscript everyone.”

Earlier this year, the Ukrainian government initiated a voluntary enlistment campaign aimed at young men aged 18 to 24.

The program offered recruits the equivalent of USD24,000 alongside other benefits for a year of service.

However, the campaign’s advertisements, which compared military wages to the cost of hamburgers or in-game purchases, were criticized for being disrespectful toward potential recruits.

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