Overview

• Ukrainian police launched a large-scale operation involving over 600 raids to shut down illegal routes used by men avoiding military conscription.
• Authorities are targeting organizers and participants of smuggling networks that reportedly helped hundreds cross borders illegally using bribes, fake documents, and unofficial routes.
• The operation highlights Ukraine's urgent need to bolster its military, which has suffered significant losses nearly three years into Russia's invasion.
• Ukraine's military draft system has faced widespread criticism for corruption and inefficiency, prompting President Zelensky to fire regional mobilization officials in 2023.
• Police have pledged to release further details after completing investigations, with some suspects already facing trial for aiding draft evasion.