Russia forcing untrained men in Donbas to fight in war hotspots in Ukraine: Report

Russia has been pushing untrained civilians from separatists-controlled Donbas into crucial spots of its war in Ukraine which has now entered 25th day. Without revealing last names of people from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, Kyiv Independent stated that nearly every man known by 24-year-old Oleksii in Donetsk Oblast including friends, school classmates and former colleagues, has been ‘illegally conscripted’ by Russian-controlled proxies. Oleksii said that none of se men has experience of serving in military before, yet many of m have been forced into hottest spots of Russia-Ukraine war. 

As Russia appears to still struggle to achieve one of its primary goals of occupying Ukraine’s airspace, report’s revelation indicates apparent desperation of Moscow to ramp up its attacks on neighbouring nation. Ukraine has claimed that Russian forces have lost more than 14,000 personnel along with or losses in military gear.

Meanwhile, Kyiv has claimed that civilians have been continuously targetted by Russia. Amid deaths of journalists and stories of struggling civilians amid war, Oleksii told Kyiv Independent that men forced to fight in hotspots “have never held a machine gun in ir hands”. 

Russian invasion into Ukraine began on February 24 and at same time, according to report, Russian-controlled militants ramped up offensives in Donbas. It is pertinent to note here that partially-occupied region in eastern Ukraine, Donbas in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts was captured by Russia in 2014. 

Russia’s proxies reportedly accused Ukrainian Armed Forces of escalation and announced a demonstrative evacuation of women and children from Donbas to Russia. se proxies even launched a mobilisation campaign conscripting all men below age of 55. Oleksii revealed to newspaper that his former colleagues from a coal mine were abducted by Russian-controlled militants from ir workplaces and were later deployed to sourn front in Mariupol, which is a city in Donetsk Oblast that has witnessed some of heaviest fightings since invasion began. 

‘Today I’m home, tomorrow y can take me away’

Oleksii’s only friend who has not been forcefully conscripted to Russian army is 27-year-old Serhii who is listed as an “essential worker” in coal mine. Serhii is exempted from mobilisation until April and he is uncertain if authorities would prolong it. According to Kyiv Independent, Serhii declined to speak on record by texting Oleksii, “I won’t speak to a journalist. No offense, mate. Today I’m at home, tomorrow y can take me away, and my mom and girlfriend will stay in Khrestivka and face issues”.

Image: AP