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Video length: 4 min
War in Ukraine: the Ukrainian army struggles to recruit
War in Ukraine: the Ukrainian army is struggling to recruit – (France 2)
After two years of war against Russia, the Ukrainian army is having difficulty recruiting. The men are recalcitrant and trials for disobedience to the army are increasing.
Ukraine is desperately looking for new soldiers to relieve the men on the front, exhausted by two years of war. Some mobilized people pay for training to be ready. In ten days, they learn combat, shooting and even war first aid. “I don’t really want to go and fight, but I have no choice”, says Anton, 39, trader. According to the instructors, half of the group should be mobilized.
10 years in prison for refusing to fight
In Zhytomyr (Ukraine), two soldiers who were in combat were assigned to recruitment after injuries. They walk the streets looking for potential candidates. Many are recalcitrant. On social networks, videos of vigorous recruitment are circulating. “A person mobilized by force will be a bad soldier”, assures a recruiter. Across the country, trials for disobedience to the army are increasing and sentences have been increased to 12 years in prison for a deserter and 10 years for refusing to fight. Refusal to mobilize is punishable by three to five years in prison.
