"When Ukraine's new Defense Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, stood before parliament on January 14 and revealed that around two million Ukrainians are currently wanted for evading mobilization, with a further 200,000 soldiers AWOL, it was not just a startling statistic, but for me, not a surprising one either. It was a moral indictment this nation can scarcely afford. Let's be clear: Ukraine is in an existential fight for survival."
"In August 2025, the government passed revisions allowing men aged 18-22 to cross the border legally, a move intended to balance human rights with military necessity. The reform acknowledged demographic realities and granted limited freedom to younger men, but it also opened a door many interpreted not as a temporary reprieve, but as an easy exit. In my view, had these issues been addressed earlier, both legally and culturally, we might not be staring at these numbers today."
Approximately two million Ukrainians are wanted for evading mobilization and about 200,000 soldiers are recorded AWOL. Ukraine faces an existential fight for survival against a numerically and materially superior enemy, placing severe strain on its armed forces and support systems. A August 2025 reform legally allowed men aged 18–22 to cross the border, aiming to balance human rights with military necessity, but it became widely seen as an easy exit. The scale of evasion reflects political, logistical, and moral failures and imposes disproportionate burden on serving personnel. An informal amnesty exists permitting return with little prejudice.
Read at London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
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