‘Caught like dogs’: Putin mocks Ukraine’s army recruitment struggles, says Russians join willingly

Russian President Putin during a meeting on Tuesday, said Ukrainian recruitment officials are catching people “like dogs” to enrol as volunteers in the conflict against Russia.He drew a comparison claiming Russia has been enjoying a steady flow of volunteers.“While the Kiev authorities are engaged in forced mobilisation – people are caught like dogs on the street, then our guys go voluntarily, they go themselves… They are catching 30 thousand people there now, and we have 50-60 thousand a month enlisting willingly,” Putin said.Following the escalation of the conflict with Russia in early 2022, Ukraine implemented general mobilization, prohibiting most men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country and initially setting the draft age at 27. However, with growing casualties and personnel shortages, Kyiv lowered the conscription age to 25 last year and introduced tougher penalties for draft evasion, along with simplifying mobilization procedures.Videos circulating online show Ukrainian enlistment officers, often supported by civilian police, chasing would-be recruits across the streets and threatening them with military-grade weapons.This forceful recruitment is being called ‘busification’- a process where would-be recruits are violently packed into minibuses used by enlistment officials.Although top Ukrainian officials have consistently dismissed reports of mobilization issues as “Russian propaganda,” the country’s military recently acknowledged challenges in the process.Lt Gen Ivan Gavrilyuk, deputy head of Ukraine’s defense ministry, said, “Busification is a shameful phenomenon, and we’re doing our best to avoid it.”This year, Kyiv launched a new recruitment campaign targeting men aged 18 to 24 who are not yet subject to mandatory military service. The incentive provided being: one million hryvnia (approximately $24,000) for a year of voluntary service. The campaign has been promoted through videos and posters that break down the payout into relatable items, such as fast food meals or popular in-game currencies, in an attempt to make enrollment more enticing to the youth.