A Ukrainian man has escaped from a conscription checkpoint by speeding away from a roadblock, with one officer clinging to the hood of his moving car, according to a video circulating on social media.
The incident was reported on Thursday by Ukrainian outlet Strana, which claimed it took place in Kharkov in the northeast of the country.
Footage filmed by an eyewitness shows an unidentified man, who had apparently been stopped to check his ID papers, making his way to his car as he is surrounded by conscription officers.
The man is seen resisting and manages to open the car door despite being grabbed by the service members. He then gets into the vehicle, with officers crowding the car in an attempt to prevent any escape.
However, the ‘human shield’ fails to stop the man from speeding off, and one service member is seen being struck by the vehicle and briefly hanging from its hood. The view is then obscured, although moments later the car is seen driving off unobstructed as the person filming the incident shouts with delight.
It has not been reported if the recruitment officers later tracked down the escapee or if he has been placed on a wanted list.
Kiev announced general mobilization after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, barring most men aged between 18 and 60 from leaving the country. Faced with mounting losses, Kiev this spring lowered the draft age from 27 to 25, and significantly tightened mobilization rules.
The mobilization campaign has been marked by widespread graft and draft dodging, with numerous social media clips showing draft officials trying to stop potential conscripts in the streets, shopping malls, stores, and gyms. This campaign often leads to clashes between reluctant would-be conscripts and draft officials.