Ukraine’s foreign ministry expresses its protest over Russia's autumn draft in occupied territories

The ministry emphasized that by carrying out this draft, Russia is grossly violating its international legal obligations, particularly Article 51 IV of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, which categorically prohibits an occupying power from forcing individuals under its control to serve in its armed or auxiliary forces.

The ministry stressed that coercing people into the army constitutes a war crime and will not go unpunished.

"The Kremlin will certainly use forcibly drafted Ukrainian citizens as cannon fodder in the war against their own country, putting them in mortal danger. Therefore, we call on Ukrainians in temporarily occupied territories to avoid this criminal draft at all costs,” the ministry said.

It also highlighted that Russian citizens subject to conscription have every right to refuse and sabotage this criminal decree.

In case of being forced into the war against Ukraine, the ministry urges people to use the I Want to Live project and voluntarily surrender to the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

"We also appeal to Ukrainians living in historical Ukrainian lands—Kuban, Starodubshchyna, Northern and Eastern Slobozhanshchyna within modern Krasnodar Krai, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, and Rostov regions of Russia: remember your roots and do not participate in the criminal war against the homeland of your ancestors," the ministry added.

The ministry also addressed representatives of all indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation.

"This is not your war. It is Moscow’s war, which sends you to conquer Ukrainian lands just as it once conquered your lands, killing you en masse so that others could live on your territories," the ministry said.

The ministry noted that Ukraine continues to document all violations of international law by Russia. These records will be used to hold Russia’s military-political leadership accountable.

"We call on the international community to increase political, diplomatic, and sanctions pressure on the aggressor state," the ministry added.

Russia’s autumn draft

Recently, Russian leader Vladimir Putin signed a decree to conduct a record conscription of Russians into military service from October 1 until the end of the year.

The plan is to draft 135,000 people into the Russian army, more than any other autumn conscription since 2016, when 152,000 were called up.

According to the decree, Russian citizens aged 18 to 30 who are not in the reserves and are subject to conscription will be drafted.

The document also states that federal authorities must ensure the law is enforced regarding citizens subject to conscription.

On September 24, deputies of the Russian State Duma approved in the first reading a bill providing for conscription-related activities throughout the calendar year.

Starting January 1, 2026, military conscription will no longer occur twice a year, as it does now, but continuously from January 1 to December 31.

It is noted that Moscow denies that the conscription is related to the war in Ukraine, assuring draftees that they will not be sent to the front.