"Sign a contract or go to jail": how Russia recruits Ukrainians to the front

"You have two choices - prison or war": how Russia is forcing Ukrainians from occupation to fight against Ukraine

In the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, the Russian military is forcing local men to join the Russian army under pressure, blackmail, and through fabricated criminal cases.

This is stated in the investigation by Slidstvo.info.

The journalists describe the stories of men who are actually faced with a choice by the occupation authorities: "prison or war". In particular, 22-year-old Ivan Vikharev from Zaporizhzhia region signed a contract with the Russian army while in a pre-trial detention center after being directly threatened with imprisonment. Later, he ended up at the front and was captured by the Ukrainian military.

According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, approximately 14-15% of the prisoners who fought in the Russian army are Ukrainians forcibly mobilized in the occupied territories.

The investigation notes that the occupation administrations use various methods of pressure:

• detention and criminal cases,
• threats of imprisonment,
• blackmail against relatives,
• forced signing of contracts with the Russian army.

Human rights activists emphasize that the forced mobilization of civilians in the occupied territories is a violation of international humanitarian law.

Earlier, Intent wrote how the residents of the occupied Crimea face regular disconnections of mobile communications and the Internet, which can last from several hours to several days.

We would also like to remind you that residents of the temporarily occupied territories, including Kherson region, were banned from recharging their mobile accounts without a Russian passport. In the TOT, the Russian invaders have imposed new restrictions on local residents. Now you can top up your mobile account only with a Russian passport or authorization through the Russian portal of public services.

Андрій Колісніченко