Budanov warns millions of draft evaders threaten Ukraine’s war effort

Mobilization remains essential to replenish the armed forces, as those willing to volunteer have largely already done so after more than two years of full-scale war, Budanov said.

“The reality is that without people, the front will collapse and Ukraine will cease to exist,” Budanov said.

Only the “inhumane treatment” of individuals during forced conscription can realistically be reformed, while the practice itself must continue, Budanov said. He added that Ukraine is also facing “another harsh truth” — millions of draft evaders.

Addressing the issue earlier, Budanov described draft evasion as a “huge problem” on April 10, criticizing what he said was the growing glorification of those who evade enlistment offices and illegally leave the country.

The current mobilization system remains disorganized, and fundamentally resolving its shortcomings will be difficult until the war ends, Budanov said on April 3.

A broader, comprehensive reform of Ukraine’s mobilization system is currently underway, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in February.