In the tranquil rural landscape of Makiv, a village in southwest Ukraine, a profound sense of absence pervades. This once lively community, situated near the tranquil borders of Romania and Moldova, is now strikingly depleted of its men, many of whom have been drafted into the military amidst Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia.
Makiv, representative of many small agricultural towns enduring the same fate, has seen its male population dwindle dramatically due to aggressive military drafts. Residents speak of a new normal, where soldiers scour near-empty streets for any men who have not yet been conscripted. “Most of them are gone,” Larysa Bodna, the deputy director of the local school, said of the men, highlighting the stark reality facing the community.
Ukraine’s parliament is in the throes of debating a bill to expand the draft pool, potentially lowering the eligibility age to 25, in an attempt to address the army’s urgent need for more troops. Civilians report that military recruiters are seizing every eligible person they can find in a desperate bid for reinforcements.
The aggressive mobilization efforts have not only sown panic and resentment but also shaped a new social fabric woven with fear and anticipation. Olha Kametyuk, 35, recounts her husband’s drafting experience, “People are being caught like dogs on the street,” and military tactics viewed by some as tantamount to kidnapping.
This aggressive conscription drive has had devastating effects, both on the battlefield and at home. Oleksii, 30, returned home with the psychological and physical scars of conflict, carrying memories of fallen comrades.
Even those beyond the draft limit are not spared the constant reminders of war. Seventy-year-old Vasyl Hrebeniuk reported being stopped and questioned by soldiers, illustrating the pervasive atmosphere of suspicion and control.
The repercussions of the draft extend into the classroom. Tetiana Lychak, 32, lost her husband in the conflict, and now her young son speaks of joining the army. A teacher from her workplace, who previously taught high school students basic army drills in a course named “Protecting Ukraine,” has been sent on a mission. In his class, there are three students whose fathers are currently in the military. Such stories are not unique, highlighting the war’s deep and personal impact on the younger generation.
Those who remain live in a state of limbo. Tanya, 42, has not heard from her husband Serhii since he joined the army and disappeared in November 2022. A fellow soldier called at the time and told her he had two updates. “The first is he’s not among the dead,” she recalled him saying. “The second is he’s not among the living.” She has lived in that limbo ever since – raising two daughters, now 4 and 8, alone.
This situation in Makiv mirrors a larger narrative across Ukraine. In adjacent Kamyanets-Podilsky, a gallery memorializes local men and women killed in the conflict, a poignant reminder of the human cost of war.
While some have chosen to seek refuge or flee, like the young men of Domna, Siberia, who escape to Moldova and beyond, the ones in Makiv remain bound to their land, facing the daily uncertainty of draft orders, and the heart-wrenching possibility of a knock at the door that could change their lives and the lives of their loved ones forever.
Relevant articles:
– In this Ukrainian village,almost no men are left
– In this Ukrainian village, almost no men are left, The Washington Post, Sat, 16 Mar 2024 09:12:00 GMT
– Desperate to avoid the draft, CBC.ca, Sun, 04 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT
– ‘We Bury A Lot Of People Here’: How One Siberian Village Has Been Emptied By The Ukraine Invasion, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Sun, 23 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT