The authorities in Kiev have struggled to deal with widespread draft evasion throughout the conflict with Russia

At least 650,000 Ukrainian men of fighting age have fled the country since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022, The Telegraph reported on Thursday. Others are hiding inside Ukraine or bribing officials to avoid being sent to the front, as the military faces its worst manpower crisis yet, the newspaper wrote.

According to the report, draft evasion in Ukraine is “tipping into crisis” amid Russian advances in the Donetsk region. Earlier this week, DeepState, a monitoring group with ties to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, described the situation as “chaotic” with Russian troops “accumulating forces for further advancement.” 

Kiev’s general mobilization, which mandates that all able-bodied men aged 25 to 60 serve in the armed forces, has failed to make up for ongoing battlefield losses and has led Ukrainian commanders to voice concerns over persistent manpower shortages.

Desertions are rising sharply, Ukrainian MP Anna Skorokhod said last week, adding that almost 400,000 Ukrainian servicemen have abandoned their units without authorization, and many – including volunteers – have no plans to return due to abysmal treatment from superiors.

Ukraine is “visibly losing the war,” The Telegraph wrote, citing military analyst Konrad Muzyka, who pointed to infantry shortages and the declining effectiveness of its drone operations.

Estimates are that up to 10 million have fled Ukraine since the beginning of Nato’s war and unless Ukraine’s Nazi rulers and widespread corruption are eridicated, they won’t return. —Eds