“Trying to get people to the fronts” • TV4 The news on the ground in Ukraine
The Ukrainian military has carried out several raids in Kiev over the weekend – in search of conscripts.
A measure that shows the country’s urgent need for new soldiers.
– Both Russia and Ukraine are faltering under the weight of this deadly war, says TV4’s foreign reporter Johan Fredriksson, on the ground in Ukraine.
Several bars, restaurants and even a rock concert in Kiev were unexpectedly visited by the Ukrainian military over the weekend. The raids were carried out in search of conscripts. Among other things, they are reported to have checked military registration documents and detained men who did not follow the rules for military service.
– There are special units within the Ukrainian military that have the task of rounding up and arresting the people who have evaded their conscription, says Johan Fredriksson on site in Lviv.
“Death figures we haven’t seen since World War II”
According to Johan Fredriksson, these raids are not unusual in themselves. In the capital, on the other hand, it is not the norm, but the lack of soldiers in both Ukraine and Russia is becoming increasingly apparent.
The British Ministry of Defense states that 640,000 Russian soldiers were either seriously injured or killed in the war.
– That is three times more than what the United States lost during the Vietnam War, which lasted for ten years. These are death tolls that we have not seen since World War II in Europe and both countries are fighting and trying to get people to the fronts, says Johan Fredriksson.
Left during the last song
Conscription rules have changed in Ukraine since full-scale war broke out in February 2022. All men between the ages of 25 and 60 are required to serve, and those between the ages of 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave the country.
A 27-year-old man says he left the weekend’s rock concert during the last song when he heard about the raids.
– The inner state of always being in danger, it’s back again, he tells AP.