Ukrainian military recruiters in Kyiv are resorting to desperate measures to get more men to fight off invading Russian forces. Video captured on Friday, Oct. 11, by Ukrainian media showed raids of concert halls, clubs, bars and restaurants, in an effort to get more soldiers into Ukraine’s army.
Authorities said men refusing to show exemptions for service, or whose documents were considered fake, were taken away.
Under Ukraine’s martial law, all men between 25 years old and 60 years old are eligible for conscription and men between 18 years old and 60 years old are barred from leaving the country.
Ukraine lowered its draft age from 27 to 25 as it faces a severe shortage of soldiers. Ukraine also enacted a new law requiring all-military-aged men to put their information into an online system or face penalties.
Some Ukrainian men are reportedly so desperate to get out of military service that dozens have died trying to swim across rivers or cross mountain passes as they fled the country. One Ukrainian man told reporters that he feels in danger of being drafted anytime he steps outside.
Ukraine is also relying on foreign fighters. Several, including a former U.S. Marine and a U.S. Army veteran, have been killed.