Officials raid venues in Kiev as Ukraine needs fresh recruits

KIEV

Ukrainian military recruitment officers raided restaurants, bars and a concert hall in Kiev, checking military registration documents and detaining men who were not in compliance, media and witnesses reported on Oct. 12.

Video footage aired by local media outlets appears to show officers stationed outside the doors of the concert hall intercepting men as they exit. In the footage, officers appear to be forcibly detaining some men.

Checks were also conducted at Goodwine, an upscale shopping center, and Avalon, a popular restaurant.

It is unusual for such raids to take place in the capital, and reflects Ukraine’s dire need for fresh recruits.

All Ukrainian men aged 25-60 are eligible for conscription, and men aged 18-60 are not allowed to leave the country.

Local reports said raids were also conducted in clubs and restaurants across other Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv and Dnipro.

Ukraine has intensified its mobilization drive this year.

A new law came into effect this spring stipulating that those eligible for military service must input their information into an online system or face penalties.

Russia and Ukraine are facing the issue of how to sustain their costly war of attrition.

Ukraine’s aim is to impair Russia’s ability to support its front-line units, especially in the eastern Donetsk region where the main Russian battlefield effort is stretching weary Ukrainian forces .

Kiev is still awaiting word from its Western partners on its repeated requests to use the long-range weapons they provide to hit targets on Russian soil.