“I used to say that the biggest problem is the lack of artillery shells, but today it’s the lack of human resources.” (Brigade commander Kukharchuk on Ukrainian television). Tens of thousands of experienced front-line fighters have been killed or wounded. Others have been at the front for two years, exhausted and disillusioned. Their families are protesting, demanding they be allowed to leave military service.
For some time now, the army has been traveling through villages to pick up men on the street, in scenes echoing those which were reported in Russia during Putin’s last “mobilization”. In western Ukrainian villages, residents have beaten up army recruiters. Handelsblatt reports that more than 70,000 people are wanted for arrest in the Poltava, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions alone. A quarter of all 46,000 confirmed cases of desertion were recorded in the first quarter of 2024. The right to conscientious objection does not exist in Ukraine.
Ukrainians in Germany
In April, the Ukrainian parliament adopted mobilization measures. Since then, men between the ages of 18 and 60 who are liable for military service must carry their military service passports with them at all times. There are penalties if they do not keep their personal details, such as their place of residence etc., up to date at all times.
Ukrainians living abroad are particularly affected. They can no longer update their documents at consulates or embassies there, but have to travel to Ukraine to do so — which they are then no longer allowed to leave. There are 200,000 men from Ukraine living in Germany, most of whom are of conscription age.
Bavaria’s CSU (conservative) Interior Minister Herrmann is proposing to help Ukraine provide fodder for the front. He proposes cancelling citizens’ allowance benefits for Ukrainians who are liable for military service. Two birds with one stone: promoting division in Germany by accusing refugees from Ukraine of wrongly receiving social benefits and at the same time ensuring that Ukraine can continue to fight on behalf of German and NATO imperialism, in order to bleed Russia’s army dry.
Class struggle instead of war
The resistance of Ukrainians against the Russian occupation is legitimate. But occupation and war cannot be ended by this war between two imperialist blocs. This kind of warfare leads to the further destruction of Ukrainian towns and villages and the senseless deaths of tens of thousands of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers, as well as the danger of further escalation, including through the intervention of Western troops. Occupation and war can only be ended through struggle of the Ukrainian working class, through political and trade union organization, strikes, sabotage; through class appeals to the Russian soldiers, through the perspective of a common struggle against the reactionary regimes of Putin and Zelensky and against NATO interference.
In addition to the Ukrainians now affected, over 1,000 Russian war refugees still fear that they will not be granted asylum in Germany and will be deported. Trade unions and the left in Germany and Europe must stand up in defense of Ukrainian conscripts and Russian deserters and advocate for a long-term right to stay and full entitlement to social benefits.
- Issue replacement papers for Ukrainians who are denied this by their diplomatic missions.
- Full social benefits for all war refugees.
- Open the border for those (soldiers and civilians) fleeing war, from both sides.
- The right to stay for all conscientious objectors, no deportations.
- No to arms deliveries and escalation, support trade unionists and anti-war activists in Ukraine and Russia.
- Not a cent for war and armaments. Billion-euro packages for climate, housing, education and care instead of for the Army.
