Ukraine Targets Corruption in Military Conscription

Ukrainian authorities have carried out dozens of raids across 16 regions as part of investigations into current and former conscription officials suspected of corruption. The national police reported that officers seized cash, cars and motorcycles during the operations and filed more than 150 administrative charges for offences including illegal enrichment and false declaration of assets.

Ukraine's military has long faced a shortage of soldiers since Russia's large-scale invasion in early 2022. Reports have emerged of officials accepting bribes to exempt individuals from service or to allow draft-age men to travel abroad despite a ban on doing so.

Police said the operations were not aimed solely at uncovering individual cases but at systematically clearing the recruitment sector of corrupt practices. The stated goal is to restore public confidence in institutions that play a critical role for the state in wartime.

Russia holds a substantial advantage over Ukraine in both troop numbers and equipment. Willingness to enlist in the Ukrainian army has been dampened by reports of poor training, harsh treatment by conscription officials and difficult conditions at the front.

(reuters, bak)