Cabinet mulling more restrictions for draft dodgers

The Cabinet of Ministers is working on the amendments to resolutions that would make certain government services available to conscription-age men only if they have registered with their local draft offices.

Minister of Justice Denys Maliuska stated this on the air of the national telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"I have no doubts that the government will provide incentives for those who doubt the need to fulfill their duties – in the sense that various ministries are currently working on changes to Cabinet resolutions, changes in regulation, that will make obligatory holding a military registration ID to receive certain government services," he said.

According to the minister, the government will try to ensure that the law is the same for everyone and that everyone abides by it.

"This is for those who are voluntarily and actively willing to defend Ukraine are not in a worse position than those who chose not do so. The rules apply to everyone, and we will ensure their implementation," Maliuska said.

The minister said that the draft offices are prepared for a large inflow of conscripts.

"As a member of government, I can state that the attention of the Prime Minister has been personally focused on this for months, and that he has repeatedly instructed the Ministry of Defense to ensure that our draft offices are open 24/7, which, as I understand, is already the case. Therefore, I have no doubt that the work will be done properly," he added.

As reported, Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko stated that there are hundreds of thousands of potential draft dodgers in police databases.