Conscript found dead at Ukrainian draft office
A Ukrainian man who had been conscripted to the military was found dead in a draft office in Poltava on Monday, according to a statement by the local recruitment office.
He had been brought to the facility by police after being placed on a wanted list for avoiding mobilization. His body was discovered in a technical room at the facility.
Draft officials stated that “there were no signs of violence,” and indicated that it appeared to be a suicide. The man had refused a medical examination upon arrival.
Authorities added that the man had previously been convicted of draft evasion last year, receiving a suspended three-year sentence. Evading military service in Ukraine can lead to a prison term of up to three years.
“There was no physical or psychological pressure on part of the military,” the draft office’s statement said, adding that the man was merely “waiting… for his documents to be processed.” The police have launched a probe into the incident, the office said, while urging Ukrainians to avoid “unverified, distorted or manipulative messages” on the topic.
Amid heavy military losses and widespread draft evasion, Kiev has tightened its conscription laws, with ongoing raids targeting men at public venues such as bars, shopping malls, and even weddings.
This spring, Kiev lowered the military service age from 27 to 25 and significantly tightened the country’s mobilization rules, requiring potential recruits to report to conscription offices for “data validation.” These checks often result in people being immediately drafted into the army and sent to the front line.
Draft dodgers often brave perilous conditions in their attempts to escape. Ukraine’s Border Service said in June that more than 45 Ukrainian men had died in rough terrain while fleeing the country. Later that month, a senior Ukrainian Border Service official, Igor Matviychuk, said that over 100 people attempt to flee the country every day to evade the draft.
