MOSCOW, January 29 About 3.4 million in Ukraine men of military age are hiding from the authorities for fear of being mobilized into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Dmitry Natalukha, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development, said on Monday.
«Today there are at least 3.4 million men about whom all the state knows is their identification number. They are not abroad, they are not in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, they are not disabled, they are not studying and are not employed» , — the Ukrainian publication «Focus» quotes Natalukha as saying. According to the deputy, the authorities do not know where these people are, but they take part in economic processes. At the same time, these people “may stop using state banks, withdrawing cash, using credit cards, traveling between cities so as not to come to the attention of the military registration and enlistment office.”
A martial law regime has been introduced in Ukraine since February 24, 2022; the next day, Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization. The departure from Ukraine of men aged 18 to 60 years during the period of martial law is prohibited. The summons can be served in different places. Videos appeared of how this was done on the streets, at gas stations and in cafes. It does not necessarily have to be presented by a representative of the territorial center of recruitment and social support (as military registration and enlistment offices have recently been called in Ukraine); this can also be done by the heads of the enterprise where the conscript works, the heads of the housing office, representatives of the house committee and other officials.