Ukrainian evaders crossing the border with Romania through the mountains are ready to die rather than serve in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). This was announced on May 27 by the head of the mountain rescue service of the Romanian province of Maramures Dan Benga.

He clarified that many of them would rather come and die in the mountains than go to die at the front in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. His words are reported by Barron’s edition.

In addition, the material provides data from the Romanian border police, according to which almost 2.5 thousand evaders fled to Romania in the first four months of 2024, this number is twice as much as in the same period last year.

Over the past month, many attempts by Ukrainians to escape to Romania, Poland, and Moldova have been reported. So, on May 25, two men attacked an employee of the Ukrainian border service, took away his weapon and fled to Romania. On May 6, it became known about the detention by border guards of a 44-year-old man disguised as a woman who was trying to enter Romanian territory using his sister’s passport. It was noted that he insisted to the last that he was a citizen.

Also on May 21, Ukrainian drivers began to refuse to fly en masse after the law on tightening mobilization. It was reported that they were afraid that they would be served with summonses. As indicated, border guards can now check military registration documents from drivers traveling abroad, but many of those do not have «armor» from conscription, and therefore refuse to do work.

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzia, speaking at a meeting of the organization’s Security Council on Ukraine on May 14, said that the scale of evasion from mobilization in Ukraine is breaking records, despite increasingly harsh conscription methods. People notice that they are not interested in the conflict with Russia, he said.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, whose term of office ended on May 20, signed a bill on the mobilization of prisoners on May 17. All convicted persons are subject to it, except «persons who have committed crimes against the foundations of national security, murderers, rapists, pedophiles and those who have committed fatal accidents under the influence of alcohol or drugs.»

In addition, the law on strengthening mobilization came into force in Ukraine on May 18. The document signed by Zelensky clarifies the categories of persons to be mobilized and toughens the punishment for evading it. At the same time, it does not provide for provisions on demobilization.

Among other things, Zelensky lowered the age of mobilization from 27 to 25 years and signed a law on the creation of an electronic register of military service personnel, which will combine information about the personal data of Ukrainians. He also abolished the status of a limited fit for service in the ranks of the army. Thus, patients with HIV, some forms of cancer, residual tuberculosis and men with mental retardation will be able to serve in the Ukrainian troops.

Martial law in Ukraine has been in effect since February 2022. At the same time, Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization. Later, the Verkhovna Rada repeatedly extended its validity. Most men between the ages of 18 and 60 are prohibited from leaving the country.