Russia Illegally Drafts 5,500 Residents of Occupied Crimea in 2024 Alone

In 2024, nearly 5,500 residents of temporarily occupied Crimea were conscripted into the Russian army, according to a report by the Mission of the President of Ukraine in Crimea, released on December 4.

“As a result of illegal conscription campaigns in occupied Crimea, approximately 50,000 residents have been unlawfully drafted into the Russian army, including about 5,500 in 2024 alone,“ the report reads.

Russian-appointed authorities in the occupied peninsula have been targeting and detaining residents based on their political beliefs, ethnicity, or religion since the illegal annexation of Crimea.

The report notes that these actions are a violation of the norms and customs of international humanitarian law. It is known that the Russian-assigned authorities have initiated 553 criminal cases under the article on evasion of military service, 244 of which were launched after February 24, 2022. Overall, more than 497 instances have been recorded where residents of Crimea were found guilty of refusing to serve in the occupying military forces.

Russia's daily average losses, both killed and wounded, reached a record high in its war against Ukraine in November 2024, according to the UK Ministry of Defence's.