Ukrainian men hide in houses to avoid conscription to fight Russia

Desperate Ukrainian men have resorted to hiding in their houses for up to eight months just to avoid fighting Russia.

Stories include missing a daughter's birth, avoiding public transport, and not attending weddings - all to get out of being conscripted into the Ukrainian military.

This comes as Ukraine is on the look-out for more fighters as it has struggled to replenish its army while thousands of soldiers from North Korea join Russia.

One man, 34 year-old Alex who is a product manager in Kyiv, said: 'I haven’t left my house in eight months.

'I do my shopping online, work from home and avoid going out. Even when my girlfriend gave birth to our daughter three months ago, I didn’t go to the hospital.'

Speaking to the Sunday Times, he added: 'I raise money for our forces but I don’t want to kill people and I don’t want to die.'

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Roman, 33, an entrepreneur in Lviv, said he pays $1,000 a month to receive an exemption. 

He explained: 'Eighty per cent of my friends who went to fight have been killed and I don’t want to join them. By now we all know what happens.

'I am lucky I have money and my own business so don’t need to be on public transport or in places where the mobilisation gangs operate. I don’t go to restaurants or weddings.'

Desertions from the Ukraine army are at an all-time high since the recent escalation of conflict began in 2022.

And the UK Defence Ministry estimates more than 1,000 Russian troops are being killed or wounded each day.

This comes as Ukraine passed a controversial new law in May that requires every man of draft age — 25 to 60 — to register so they can be called up. 

Last month Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country is 'closer to the end of the war' with Russia after more than two and a half years since the invasion.

Washington and its allies have provided a multi-billion dollar assistance program to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began while also imposing several rounds of sanctions against Moscow.

Russia reopened its counter-offensive in Kharkiv in May as allies debated allowing Ukraine to use their long-range missiles on military targets within Russia.

The assault was Russia's biggest gain in 17 months, the Telegraph reported, swallowing up 250sq-km. Russian troops made it six miles before Ukraine stabilised the situation.