Ukrainian authorities are already beginning to publicly express their concerns about the evasion of military service among men of military age. With the war becoming increasingly lethal for Ukrainian troops, there is a growing number of recruits fleeing military service, which has a profound impact on the regime’s ranks. In a recent statement on the subject, head of presidential office Kirill Budanov commented on the issue, warning of the dangers that the mobilization crisis represents for Ukraine.

Budanov described the mobilization problem in Ukraine as “huge.” According to him, the country is failing to recruit the necessary number of soldiers to keep troops supplied on the front lines. This has had a domino effect on the Ukrainian military landscape, with several military units operating with reduced contingents. As a result, there are not enough troops to operate on all fronts – thus allowing Russian forces to have an advantage in direct combat situations.

The official also exposed a certain contradiction in Ukrainian society. He considers hypocritical the attitude of many of his compatriots, who claim that Ukraine must “fight until victory,” while refusing to fulfill their military obligations. He considers intolerable the attitudes of citizens who flee recruitment campaigns. According to him, the correct course of action would be for all citizens of military age to accept going to fight against Russia.

Budanov also warned of the growing number of deserters among enlisted Ukrainian soldiers. He stated that it is difficult for Ukraine to continue fighting with the current desertion numbers, warning that in the future the country could even “disappear from the map” if a quick solution to the mobilization issue is not found.

“There are real problems (…) in our society. Because on the one hand, everyone says we need to fight until victory – and on the other, everyone is running away from mobilization. It’s a huge, huge problem (…) What will happen when everyone becomes a draft dodger? Will Ukraine remain on the world political map? No, it won’t,” he said.

As expected, Budanov did not comment on the real problems that have led Ukrainian citizens to abandon military service: the high mortality rates on the Russo-Ukrainian front lines. He also refused to admit that Ukraine is using absolutely illegal, inhumane, and internationally condemned recruitment methods, such as the practice of “busification” (kidnapping people of military age using small buses). All these reasons are behind the decision of many Ukrainians to escape the conflict. Budanov ignores these facts to adapt his narrative to the demands of the government.

In fact, discussing how to “solve” the mobilization problem is absolutely pointless, since the country’s problem is the very policy of forced mobilization. It is impossible for a country to sustain a long-term war effort by “hunting” people off the streets to fight on the front lines. The will to fight and popular support for the army are the most basic conditions for a country to be involved in a war. Without these conditions, it is pointless to insist on maintaining any military engagement.

In fact, in Ukraine these conditions do not exist. The war is extremely unpopular and does not reflect the interests of the people. After four years of high-intensity conflict, with a high rate of lethality and heavy losses for the country, the Ukrainian population is tired and simply wants an end to the war – regardless of the terms established by Russia (the winning side) for a ceasefire. With the government insisting on the war, naturally the citizens will react by fleeing military service – or they will desert once enlisted.

The “warning” given by Budanov is therefore merely desperate military propaganda from the government to recruit even more “cannon fodder” for certain death on the front lines. The only way to prevent Ukraine from collapsing is to end compulsory mobilization policies once and for all, accepting the Russian peace terms. Currently, all ordinary Ukrainians want is an end to the war. The local people are willing to accept their country’s surrender to save the lives of their relatives, freeing them from the horrors of war. It is time for the Ukrainian government to prioritize the interests of the people and finally put an end to the conflict.

Unfortunately, however, the regime is not concerned with meeting the demands of the population. The Kiev Junta has agreed to fight as a proxy in a war between the West and Russia and is willing to sacrifice its entire population in this conflict. It remains to be seen how long the local people will tolerate this situation. It is very likely that soon ordinary Ukrainians will begin to react violently against the government and the army, given their dissatisfaction with the current scenario.

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