Ukraine launches over 11,000 cases against draft dodgers since 2022 invasion
Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukrainian authorities have opened nearly 11,300 criminal cases related to draft evasion and violations of military registration, according to the response of the Prosecutor General's Office to a request from NV.
Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have ramped up their efforts to prosecute draft evasion, opening thousands of criminal cases under Article 336 of the Criminal Code, which targets evasion during mobilization or special periods aimed specifically at reservists. In 2023 alone, 6,745 new cases were initiated, marking a significant increase in enforcement actions as the conflict entered its second year.
In 2022, authorities opened 2,431 cases under the same article, with the highest numbers reported in Zakarpattya (363) and Dnipropetrovsk (254) oblasts. The momentum has continued into 2024, with 1,526 cases already recorded in the first three months, predominantly in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (165).
Read also: Kyiv suspends consulate services for draft-eligible Ukrainians abroad — report
Additional charges related to draft evasion are being pursued under other sections of the Criminal Code. For instance, Article 337, which covers evasion from military registration or special training, saw 60 cases in 2022, a figure that surged to 261 in 2023, with Zakarpattya Oblast accounting for 125 of these violations. From January to March 2024, 176 cases were filed under this article, mostly in Zhytomyr Oblast (78).
Article 335, concerning evasion of regular military service, also saw legal action with 92 cases opened in 2022, primarily in Lviv and Zakarpattya oblasts. However, only two such cases were reported in 2023, and just one in the first quarter of 2024.
In response to a query from NV, Kyiv police disclosed that they had received over 5,000 requests from military commissariats to locate Ukrainians liable for military service, underscoring the extensive measures being taken to enforce conscription laws during the ongoing war.
Read also: Ukraine needs to lower draft age from 25 to 20 — Taras Chmut
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