Ukrainian doctors offering leg-breaking services – media
Ukrainians seeking to avoid being mobilized for the fight against Russia can now have their legs broken by medical professionals, local media reported on Wednesday, citing advertisements on social media.
According to the Ukrainian outlet TSN, ads with the morbid offer appeared on several Telegram channels in the city of Dnepr, in the central part of the country, but were quickly removed.
The ads touted what was called “a unique opportunity to avoid mobilization without leaving the country” and featured images of legs and arms wrapped in bandages, the article said.
The postings claimed to be able to provide “quick and professional deferment” from military duty, adding that the services would be performed by medical professionals using high-quality anesthesia. The ads also stated that patients would be provided with post-injury observation and assistance in filling out the necessary paperwork.
Moreover, the ads promise to inflict additional injuries at a discount rate if one fracture was not enough to avoid the draft campaign.
In commentary for TSN, lawyer Marina Bekalo warned that while bone fractures may indeed result in a deferment, intentional draft dodging could be grounds for criminal prosecution. She added that those who provide such services could be charged with intentionally causing bodily harm.
Ukraine announced a general mobilization shortly after the start of the conflict with Russia in February 2022, barring most men aged between 18 and 60 from leaving the country. This spring, faced with manpower shortage at the front, Kiev lowered the draft age from 27 to 25 and significantly tightened mobilization rules.
The draft campaign has been marred by widespread corruption and evasion, with recruiters often attempting to capture eligible men on the streets, in gyms, and in shopping malls. Many have attempted to flee the country, either by passing through border checkpoints with forged documents, or by attempting to enter the EU through the sparsely guarded wilderness areas.
In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin estimated Ukraine's losses as being at least 50,000 troops a month, a figure he said was five times higher than Russian casualties.
