Ukrainian military recruitment officers raided restaurants, bars, and a concert hall in Kyiv, checking military registration documents and detaining men who were not in compliance, local media reported Saturday. Officers reportedly descended on Kyiv's Palace of Sports after a concert Friday night by Ukrainian rock band Okean Elzy. Video footage aired by media outlets appears to show officers stationed outside the doors of the concert hall intercepting men as they exit. In the footage, officers appear to be forcibly detaining some men, the AP reports. Checks were also conducted at Goodwine, an upscale shopping center, and Avalon, a popular restaurant.
It is unusual for such raids to take place in the capital, and the effort reflects Ukraine's dire need for fresh recruits. All Ukrainian men age 25 to 60 are eligible for conscription, and men 18 to 60 are not allowed to leave the country. Reports said raids were also conducted in clubs and restaurants in other cities, including Kharkiv and Dnipro in eastern and central Ukraine. The mobilization drive has intensified this year. A new law came into effect this spring stipulating that those eligible for military service must put their information into an online system or face penalties.
Both sides are facing the issue of how to sustain their costly war of attrition—a conflict that started with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and that shows no signs of a resolution. Ukraine's aim is to impair Russia's ability to support its front-line units, especially in the eastern Donetsk region where the main Russian battlefield effort is stretching weary Ukrainian forces. Kyiv is still awaiting word from its Western partners on its repeated requests to use the long-range weapons they provide to hit targets on Russian soil.
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