Russia Forces Ukrainians in Occupied Areas to Join Military Draft

According to reports, Russia has begun recruiting individuals from Ukraine’s occupied eastern territories to serve in its military. Independent Russian outlet iStories shared on Telegram that young men from these regions, including Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, were drafted into the Russian army for the first time.

According to Newsweek, report referenced local officials and the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti Crimea, which reported a “ceremonial rally” held in Simferopol, Crimea, celebrating the conscription of recruits from these southern Ukrainian regions.

The country’s need for troops has grown increasingly urgent, and reports indicate that Moscow is turning to various methods to bolster its ranks, including financial incentives and penalties for those avoiding conscription, in addition to drawing recruits from foreign territories.

This latest development extends beyond the southern regions. iStories reported that young people from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions have also been conscripted into the Russian armed forces.

The practice of recruiting from occupied territories is not new. According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories (MRTOT), such recruitment began in 2014 after Russia’s initial invasion of Crimea and has since included individuals from Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea.

The MRTOT condemned this practice, calling it “conscription at gunpoint,” and stated that refusing a conscription notice can result in severe consequences. The ministry further criticized the use of minors, with reports indicating that recruits as young as 12 have been targeted. The international community has also raised concerns. In 2020, then-US ambassador to the OSCE, James S. Gilmore, noted that this violated Russia’s commitments under the Geneva Conventions.

Earlier, Russia’s State Duma  has passed a law offering debt cancellation of up to $100,000 for individuals who enlist to fight in the war against Ukraine, effective December 1, 2024.

The law applies to existing debts before signing the contract and includes both overdue loans and enforcement fees. It also extends loan repayment holidays to 180 days after the contract ends. Spouses of those enlisting are also eligible for these benefits, with applications due by December 31, 2024.