Ukraine's draft drive becomes battleground as recruiters face violence
Ukraine is struggling to mobilize troops as recruitment officers face rising violence—from assaults to stabbings—with police reporting more than 600 assaults and attacks fueling a broader backlash against conscription. The phenomenon of 'busification'—pulling men off streets into buses for service—highlights manpower shortages, while a government shake-up (the sacking of Defence Minister Fedorov) has stalled reforms. Personal accounts describe fear of frontline combat and coercive tactics, and officials are weighing options such as police-led patrols, better training, and higher pay, though no durable solution has emerged.