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Ukraine puts over 500,000 people on wanted list for draft evasion

09 January 2025 17:54 (UTC +04:00)

More than 500,000 people in Ukraine have been designated as wanted for fleeing mobilization since February 2022, Natalya Kondratova, an officer of the communication department of the Ukrainian ground forces’ command, said, APA reports citing TASS.

"Over 500,000 people <...> have been put on the wanted list," she said on the Kiev FM YouTube channel. She clarified that it is the police that carry out these investigations, not recruitment centers. "This is not the only responsibility of the national police, and it is challenging for them to find so many people with the capabilities they have available," she added.

At the same time, the officer says, 400 criminal cases against recruitment centers’ actions were launched, with most of them being at the stage of investigation or court hearing. A total of 71 people were charged, with verdicts handed down in 20 cases already. She specified that corruption is involved in a number of these cases.

A nationwide general mobilization in Ukraine was declared in February 2022 and has since been extended multiple times.