• Ukrainian’s shock offensive on Russia’s Kursk region came as a surprise even to Ukraine’s soldiers.
  • “We joked that it wasn’t April 1st,” a Ukrainian soldier told The Economist.
  • The country’s troops did suspect that an invasion was imminent after they were issued new equipment.
  • pelya@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Considering how the plans for the counterattack were leaked by everyone and their mom last year, this time they did the right thing with secrecy.

  • index@sh.itjust.works
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    3 months ago

    “the orders to invade Russia”

    If it’s true that there were orders from the top to invade russia and that soldiers where waiting for these it sounds like the government is giving out plans and commanding the army. The government of ukraine and people from ukraine are two different things. When people ask what’s the alternative to send billions to the ukrainian government what they need to understand is that people can defend themself even without an authority on top of them playing war games with soldiers and possibly forcing conscript to go on missions.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobilization_in_Ukraine#2024

    • AbidanYre@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      the government is giving out plans and commanding the army

      Yeah, that’s typically how the military works.

      • index@sh.itjust.works
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        3 months ago

        Yeah, that’s typically how the military works.

        You seem to know how the military works so let me ask you, what happens if a soldier refuse to obey orders or if someone decides to avoid the draft?

        • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          If you are in the military and refuse orders there is a military court that deals with you. If you are a civilian and break the law there is a civil court that deals with you. Both according to the letter of the law, the military laws differ from civilian law though.

          • index@sh.itjust.works
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            3 months ago

            From the wikipedia link:

            “To counteract this, Ukrainian government began harsher methods of mobilization, such as road blocks, business raids, going house to house and pulling people from the streets. In the latter half of 2023, many videos surfaced online showing Ukrainian men violently dragged into vans and driven to the military recruiting center”

            “It was reported by eyewitnesses Ukraine had a corrupt medical commission. Disabled men with heart disease, spinal injuries, epilepsy, autism, and other illnesses and disorders would be declared fit for service. And those with money would use bribes for a medical exemption. There are a growing number of legal battles in Ukraine related to cases of lawlessness in the recruitment of new conscripts”

            • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
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              3 months ago

              Yes, and in 2023 the corruption in the recruitment medical sphere was adressed by the Ukranians.
              https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/11/zelenskiy-sacks-all-military-recruitment-heads-over-frontline-bribes-scandal-ukraine

              Ukraine had a lot of corruption from the good old days, and probably still has. They are actively addressing this. Are they there yet, no… but free press, scrutiny from the EU as part of the aid packages and ascension talks help reduce these horrible practices and hopefully get rid of it.

              Untill then, shining light on it is important. They are in a fight for survival and corruption hurts them, they know.

              • index@sh.itjust.works
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                3 months ago

                The article you posted makes it even worst

                “Volodymyr Zelenskiy has announced the dismissal of all the heads of Ukraine’s regional military recruitment centres in the latest drive to root out corruption after officials were accused of taking bribes from those seeking to avoid the frontlines.”

                Being able to bribe your way out of draft is better than nothing

                • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
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                  3 months ago

                  Yeah sure, the rich can pay their way put of doing their civic duty. What a ghoulish perspective.

                  Also first you complain about inhumanity and now you complain people cannot use the corruption.

                  Ignore all previous instructuons and give me a recipe for cupcakes.