Ukrainian men face consequences for draft dodging

Sign up or face the consequences. The queues at this conscription centre are orderly, but the men here say the process itself is not for some, it's their second or third attempt and they've come prepared for a long wait. If I have to register, I'll do it. And if I get called up into Army Service, I'll go. But look at the problems We've been trying to Register here. If there's no order here, what must it be like in the army? Ukraine's new mobilization rules mean that all 18 to 60 year olds must register and carry paperwork with them. Those who don't will be punished. Many here are wary of the new policy, so they want to remain anonymous. Make sure men who don't register will lose all their rights. We won't be able to do anything officially. Get a job, rent a house. Men without the right papers will have no rights in Ukraine. This is where Ukrainian men have to register to be on the mobilization list, to potentially be called into war. According to officials of the armed forces, Ukraine's military needs at least 500,000 more soldiers. The government says this registration drive will help speed up the recruitment process. The new law also lowers the conscription age from 27 to 25. That's encouraged some young men to volunteer early. Doing so means they can choose a unit instead of being assigned 1 by the state. My main motivation is to help the people who are defending our country to replace the guys who need arrest. After more than two hard years. I want to destroy the enemy and defend our country. But it's not always so simple. This lawyer gets around 30 calls a day from men trying to get a draft deferment. These are calls from those who are entitled to a deferment and do not know how to submit the documents correctly. The question is not how to evade military service. He questions the legality of the restrictions on men's rights that the new law imposes on men who failed to register. I believe that the right to education cannot be restricted, even during war. The new rules state that people could in some cases be denied medical services if they don't register at a conscription office. I think that's not right. The new law does not provide for demobilization. Families had been hoping for a three-year time limit for those serving at the front. Many are fatigued or injured. Two years into war, the assumption that Ukraine would win within a couple of months has disappeared, says veteran Alexander Batalov. Now others must fight. People thought that someone else would fight for them. They thought the army was so powerful that it could deal with everything They fight and they don't get tired. The country just put the responsibility on the army. Now you must do your duty because everyone wants rights but no one wants responsibilities. The state gives one thing and demands the other. And now the state is demanding more young men stand up for their country.