Every day, we hear news of the illegal methods employed by young men to avoid being enlisted for state service. Avoiding military conscription is often driven by various personal, moral, or political reasons. People use different tactics to evade the draft, such as seeking deferments, fleeing to another country, or hiding.
Many young men even fake illnesses or disabilities, while others pursue educational opportunities to defer their service. Draft dodgers are individuals who avoid compulsory military service during times of conscription. While some people see draft dodging negatively, others view it as a form of resistance to participating in armed conflict for whatever reasons.
In this instance, this Ukrainian man took extreme measures in hopes of reaching Germany to avoid military service. While his tactic may seem unusual, it shows the lengths people would go to to evade conscription.
On January 29th, the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service reported the detention of the 22-year-old from Kryvyi Rih. He was apprehended while trying to cross the mountainous border section into Romania, located in Zakarpattya Oblast.
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“After watching video instructions on mountain tourism on the Internet, the young man independently planned a route from Ukraine to Romania through the Carpathian highlands and set out on a journey,” the statement said.
The apprehended individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, hid his passport in a food box containing a casserole. He pretended to be a lost tourist to avoid being detained. During inspection, border guards found his passport wrapped in polyethylene. This package fuelled the suspicions regarding his intentions in the state.
He had his internal passport with him, but he tried to mislead the guards by hiding why he arrived in Zakarpattya. However, investigations revealed that his ultimate destination was Germany. Unfortunately, his plans were defeated after the border guards intercepted him.
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This begs the question of why he was fleeing Ukraine. Perhaps it is because of the ongoing conflict in the eastern regions of Ukraine, particularly in areas like Donetsk and Luhansk.
The fight between Ukrainian government forces and separatist groups has been ongoing for years now. Now, men may be fleeing to escape conscription into the Ukrainian military or to avoid being caught in the crossfire of the conflict.
Perhaps it could be because of economic instability or lack of job opportunities that has pushed this man to leave Ukraine. Indeed, it’s not unusual for many to seek better prospects or safety in other countries.
Unfortunately, without more information about his specific circumstances or motivations, it’s challenging to determine why he attempted border crossing. Rather than completing his journey as planned, his actions have led to legal consequences. He was charged with attempting an illegal border crossing, given the severity of his offense.
The guards believe that he was influenced by advice from social media. Different social media platforms disseminate information and shape users’ perceptions in today’s interconnected world. So, he may have been swayed by online content.
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