In the rural landscape of southwest Ukraine, the village of Makiv presents a stark tableau of a community gutted by war. Once bustling with the daily life of families, the village is now eerily quiet, its male population depleted as the Ukrainian draft calls away its sons, fathers, and husbands to the frontlines. “It’s just a fact,” remarks Larysa Bodna, deputy director of the local school. “Most of them are gone.”
The depletion of Makiv’s male population reflects a broader crisis in Ukraine’s human resources as the country struggles to meet the needs of its military in the face of a relentless Russian offensive. Despite suffering considerable losses themselves, the Russian forces maintain a numerical advantage over Ukraine, highlighting the disparity in manpower.
In Makiv, the absence of men is palpable. Civilians recount a pervasive fear of being snatched up by military recruiters, with tactics that seemingly verge on desperation. Local residents claim that military recruiters are actively recruiting all available individuals. In the western regions, the mobilization efforts have caused fear and anger among residents of small farming communities such as Makiv. According to locals, soldiers employed by draft offices are patrolling the deserted streets in search of any eligible men. These methods have caused some to suspect that men in their region are being unfairly singled out compared to those in larger cities like Kyiv, where evasion may be more feasible.
Locals resort to using Telegram channels to alert each other of recruiters’ whereabouts and share disturbing anecdotes of forced enlistment.
Not only does this mobilization sow dread and sorrow among the villagers, but it also brings into sharp relief the grim realities of war. Oleksii, aged 30, was repairing his car last year when soldiers approached him and handed him a draft order. It happened to be Valentine’s Day, and the news devastated his girlfriend, Elvira, who is employed at a small shop in Makiv. She barely ate for weeks following the news. Despite accepting his fate, Oleksii’s experience has served as a cautionary tale to others about the harsh realities of being on the front lines.
After enduring three concussions and shrapnel wounds, Oleksii has recently returned home. While scrolling through his phone, he displayed a photo of himself with over a dozen fellow troops. He mentioned that only two of them are still alive.
This bleak scenario is not unique to Makiv. Across Ukraine, villages and small towns are reeling from the loss of their male populations. While some men have avoided the draft through exemptions or fleeing abroad, others have been less fortunate, leaving behind communities struggling to cope with their absence.
According to the United Nations refugee agency, a significant number of individuals have departed from Ukraine. Approximately 30 million individuals are believed to reside in the regions presently under Ukrainian jurisdiction. A bill is currently being examined by the country’s parliament, aiming to reduce the mobilization age from 27 to 25, while the military has requested an extra 500,000 troops.
Nevertheless, the deployment of troops is merely the initial phase, as specialists suggest that Ukraine’s training program must be overhauled to adequately equip soldiers and their commanding officers on the battlefield.
Relevant articles:
– In this Ukrainian village,almost no men are left
– In this Ukrainian village, almost no men are left, The Boston Globe, Sat, 16 Mar 2024 14:02:00 GMT
– To win in a war of attrition, Ukraine should mobilize women, report argues, Euromaidan Press, Sat, 09 Mar 2024 22:58:47 GMT
– Russia prison population plummets as convicts are sent to war, The Washington Post, Thu, 26 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT