Ukraine Implements Draft to Boost Troop Numbers.

Ukraine is preparing for an imminent assault on Russian occupying forces, and is calling on civilian men to report to military offices or sign up on their own, sowing panic among those who feel unprepared or unwilling to serve. The much-hyped spring counteroffensive will rely on both new soldiers and more experienced troops newly trained on donated Western equipment, including Leopard 2 tanks. The Ukrainian army has long relied on volunteers, but now many Ukrainian men cannot escape the draft, or at least registering in military offices. Thousands of other civilians are preempting such situations, instead signing up in droves for a force called the Offensive Guard — made up of eight new assault brigades.