Ombudsman Reveals Cost of Avoiding Ukraine's Draft

Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets has drawn attention to widespread corruption at territorial recruitment and social support centers. In an interview with the Novyny.Live website, he stated that, according to his findings, conscripts are forced to pay large bribes to avoid illegal mobilization.

According to Lubinets, officials at the recruitment centers demand approximately $10,000 to prevent a detained person from being taken to the center. If a person has already been transported to the center, the amount can rise to as much as $20,000, he said.

"The problem is that one segment of society is able to buy its way out, while another segment lacks the resources to do so and is sent to fight", said the ombudsman.

He also pointed out that some people are mobilized without a proper assessment of their health or other circumstances, simply so that the authorities can meet their recruitment quotas. Such conscripts are then often unable to be assigned to military units.

Lubinets called on the authorities to investigate such cases more thoroughly and to take measures to curb corruption in the mobilization system.

(uanews, est)