Russia Begins Mobilizing Ukrainians to Fight Against Their Own Country
Panic and fear flooded the occupied territories as Russian forces rounded up men to fight and forced residents to vote in a staged referendum on joining Russia, Ukrainian officials and rights groups said.
The New York Times, September 25, 2022
KYIV, Ukraine — In the occupied city of Kherson, some Ukrainian men believe that if they break their own arms, maybe the Russians will not force them into military service. Others are hiding in basements. Some are trying to run even though they are forbidden to leave the city, residents said, and virtually everyone is afraid.
“People are panicking,” said Katerina, 30. “First they were searching our houses, and now the Russians will conscript our men to their army. This is all unlawful but very real for us.”
As the Kremlin’s conscription drive faced protests across Russia for a fifth day, new signs of resistance, and fear, emerged on Sunday in the territories it occupies in Ukraine as well.
The drive to compel Ukrainians to battle other Ukrainians is part of a broader, if risky, effort by Moscow to mobilize hundreds of thousands of new fighters as its forces suffer huge casualties and struggle to hold off Ukrainian advances in the east and south.
Panic and fear flooded the occupied territories as Russian forces rounded up men to fight and forced residents to vote in a staged referendum on joining Russia, Ukrainian officials and rights groups said.
www.nytimes.com
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What Putin thought would be an easy one or two week conquest is turning into an increasingly costly mistake. Conscripting those who hate their conscriptors has has never been a wise decision. Those conscripted are likely to use their weapons and military training against those who conscript them.