"Don't Want to Die"... Footage Captures Ukrainian Youth Resisting Conscription Being Taken Away

Ukraine Faces Severe Troop Shortages Amid Prolonged War
"Please Let Me Go," Young Man Shouted but Was Taken Away
Some Avoid Going Out to Evade Conscription

A young man is being forcibly taken away by military recruiters in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. [Source=X (X, formerly Twitter)]

As Ukraine faces a prolonged war with Russia and suffers from a shortage of troops, some young men have been caught on camera appearing to be forcibly dragged away by military conscription officers.

Foreign media such as the British Telegraph reported on the 14th (local time) that Ukrainian conscription officers raided restaurants, concert halls, and shopping centers in the capital Kyiv over the past weekend, forcibly taking some men into the military. According to videos circulating on social media (SNS), military conscription officers grabbed the arms of several young men and forcibly dragged them away. The young men resisted, pleading "Please let me go" and struggling, but were ultimately taken away by military personnel. Citizens filming the scene were reportedly heard shouting, "Shame on you."

Compared to Russia, Ukraine has a smaller population and is currently struggling with a severe shortage of troops. All Ukrainian men aged 25 to 60 can voluntarily enlist in the military, and men aged 18 to 60 are prohibited from leaving the country. In particular, following the passage of a military service law amendment in April that lowered the conscription age from the current 27 to 25, penalties have been strengthened. However, Ukrainian youth are refusing to enlist due to fear of death. Although Russia has not officially announced casualty figures, it is estimated to be over 650,000. Ukraine has also not released official data, but experts estimate that its casualties amount to one-third or one-quarter of Russia's.

Ukrainian football player Denys Shelihov joins Belarusian professional football team 'Slaviya Mozyr'
[Source=Slaviya Mozyr official Instagram]

As a result, some Ukrainian youth are reportedly avoiding going out to evade conscription. They avoid using public transportation and refrain from visiting restaurants, supermarkets, and parks. In June, the BBC reported that "young people are taking taxis to avoid the eyes of military conscription officers and mostly rely on food delivery." Some men even risk their lives attempting to escape conscription by fleeing Ukraine. In September, the Russian local media Sport Express reported that Denis Shelikhov (35), a former Ukrainian youth national team goalkeeper, joined the Belarusian professional football team Slavia Mozyr. Shelikhov reportedly practiced swimming with flippers for about two months to avoid military service and ultimately secretly swam across the "River of Death," the Tisza River, located on the Ukraine-Romania border.