‘I love my country, but I can’t kill’: Ukrainian men evading conscription

26 comments

1. The passifist argument is kind of silly, there is a lot of non-combat roles to fill.

2. No worries, plenty of war-mongering, internet-warrior Westerners will join the ranks to fight for democracy and human rights. Or not?

3. This has become biggest issue for Ukrainian army, no soldiers. But who will fight for Ukraine if not Ukrainians?

4. If people don’t want to fight and give their life they shouldn’t.

   Forced conscription is bs.

5. From the outside it doesn’t seem very honourable. But in reality it’s their lives and their country. We can’t judge from our comfy couch writing on a mobile phone.

   The same applies for whatever kind of penalty the Ukrainian government will decide to inflict to everyone who didn’t fight. Can’t judge either.

6. Thats really hard and i don’t envy young Ukrainians at all.

   Firstly i don’t value existence of my country more than my own life. If somebody else does it’s good i guess?

   Secondly i have young children and i don’t value my country more than the future i can provide to them.

   I don’t have any significant strings attached to the country i live in except for taxes i pay.

7. Yeah I’m sure that’s the reason they’re not fighting, and not that they don’t want to die in a war of attrition.

8. I will never judge anyone for not wanting to fight. Even if it’s the right thing to do. Life is precious, many of my friends live there and I just want them to be safe.

9. Talking from the UK, no civilian would enlist here to fight. The only way they are brave here is behind a phone screen or a ballot paper. Then they are very nationalistic.

10. I never understood why traitors get such a bad reputation, it’s not bad nor selfish to want to live, there’s thousands of reasons why someone would value their life and why, even if they love their country, they wouldn’t put their lives at play for it.

    Humans are not pawns.

11. None of us can say shit until we are put in the same position ourselves.

    Would I fight or would I flee? I have no idea. Ideals shift in the face of death.

    So I do not judge. I don’t judge individual Ukrainians who refuse to fight. I do not judge Ukrainian government that force them to fight.

12. I have my views on this, but I won’t judge because I don’t know how I would react if I were put in the same situation. I’ll leave the judging to the Ukrainians if they feel like it.

13. Gotta respect their conviction on not wanting to kill and Ukraine should offer alternative civil service to those that don’t want to do the ugly business of war. Serve in logistics or medical care or infrastructure far behind the front lines.

    >“I love my country. But I can’t kill anyone and I don’t want to die,” Serhii said. He added: “Everyone is tired of war. And of this government. There’s an attitude of: ‘Go fuck yourself.’”

    Everybody is tired of this war, but this war isn’t some kind of free-time activity you can just stop and go home. And even if this particular government is gone, the next one won’t do things differently as long as it’s not a pro-Russian government. What then?

    >The couple paid taxes, were “100% Ukrainian” and bought a prosthesis for a soldier who lost a leg. But they believed Ukraine should negotiate with Russia, even though Putin was a “madman”, they said. “I feel a slave. You have one life. If it’s a choice between life and flag I choose life,” Oleksandr said.

    It is not a choice between life and flag. If this Ukrainian flag is gone, there’s a high chance that with the Russians in charge, your life will also be done. Under Russia you’ll be an actual slave and not just one in your perception. Nevertheless: thanks for financing a prothesis.

    >Masha Lavrova, a 24-year-old TikTok producer, said the “number of guys had dropped” off since 2023, when she came back to Ukraine after eight years abroad. She said it was difficult to find suitable matches on dating apps such as Tinder, with so many potential dates serving in the armed forces.

    I honestly didn’t understand this part. She isn’t complaining about not finding Tinder dates in Ukraine, right?

14. Shouldn’t be forced to die for the corrupt government.

15. Do you really want to know the truth? We would like to beat up russians, we showed you that many times now and in history. But our allies are providing as much ammo as needed for war to continue, but not to end. You are afraid of Russia winning, afraid of escalating or provoking Russia, that’s what your officials saying. So why the fuck would i not be afraid to die, if now it’s clear nobody would let Ukraine to win? Why would i want to die if there won’t be any sense in it? My death won’t bring peace or happiness, will not stop or change the war, it will be just a change in numbers in your newspapers.

    You, fuckers, are discussing how manly i am, you want me to go to the army so your officials will have some days and month to think if we are grateful enough for you to provide us 10k more rounds for some unbelievable price. How long did it take to give us first tank? How long will it take for f16? It’s already more than a year. Why? Why do you want me to die there without any ability to resist? Show must go on? Am i just a showguy?

    Yes, your “help” is named “charity”. But i hope you understand that’s a bullshit. There is no charity in politics, you are taking our country piece by piece, buying our precious land as a price, that’s the real reason why your “help” takes so long – you want more, you are waiting until we will let you buy and take more from us.

    We gave up our nuclear weapons hoping for a peaceful future, and now we are at war with one of the peace guarantors. That was a biggest mistake i hope nobody will do in future, taking us as an example.

    Oh, don’t worry, I’m surely will be dead soon, i never had an option. So you can sleep calmly in your bed sure it will never happen to you and you would do everything right on my place. You are big, strong and bold, you would beat russia at any moment, you don’t need any allies for it and they won’t betray you

16. Smart man.

17. I sure as shit wouldn’t either. Seeing men forced to the frontline where the average lifespan is 30 fucking MINUTES while women are free to leave and enter the country whenever they feel like going on a vacation (and I know a shitload of them, I meet them on Tinder, so I fuck their girlfriends and wife’s while they’re getting blow to pieces on the battlefield). Fuck the double standards. 

18. 🤷‍♂️ I don’t seen any problem with it, I think forced conscription when the government leaders don’t have to do any combat is disgusting

19. There is no right answer.

20. I’m no coward but I don’t value my country more than my life or want to risk making my kid fatherless and my wife a widow.
    Would I fight? Only if there was absolutely no choice to do otherwise – if there was an option to live and work elsewhere then I would do that.
    Do not judge those that do not want to fight. They are the normal human beings – or at least those that should be considered normal. If the majority were like them, there would be no fucking wars.

21. My cousin left Ukraine at the age of 17 when the war started and came to Canada.

    He wants to become a nurse and help people and has no interest in holding a gun.

    I completely understand not wanting to kill anyone or be killed by someone.

22. This seems INSANELY sexist . Men can get their drivers licence revoked and bank accounts frozen but what about Women all the Women not required to sign up ? Equality ? What a joke

23. I fear and feel for those poor boys on the frontlines…

24. They shouldn’t have to fight. Get Ukraine advanced NATO tier property and lots of it. Stop russia with weapons not lives.

25. I dont think that anyone who hasnt been in that situation is in a position to judge. I cant imagine ever killing anyone either. Its very easy to image ourselves as being courageous if our country was attacked but who knows really. I might just take my family and go.

    I dont think Ukraine currently is allowing strict roles for non-combatants

26. Finally seeing some real articles but it’s funny how most people in the last year or so shamed everyone else who didn’t encourage them to go to the frontlines is quickly changing sides. Glad everyone is waking up and realizing that nobody wants to fight and die for someone else’s ideals.