Ukraine protests against the "autumn draft" in Russia and calls on men in occupation to surrender to the Armed Forces

Ukraine strongly protests the so-called "autumn draft" announced by Russia from October 1 to December 31, 2025. Ukrainians under occupation were urged to avoid this process, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The enemy plans to recruit 135,000 men into the army. In particular, on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine: in Crimea and parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that this violates international legal obligations, in particular Article 51 of the IV Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.

"[The article] categorically prohibits the Occupying Power from compelling persons under its control to serve in its armed or auxiliary forces. Compulsion to serve in the army of the occupying power is a war crime and will not go unpunished," the ministry said .

It is noted that the Kremlin will "definitely use" the recruits as "cannon fodder" in the war against Ukraine, thereby exposing them to mortal danger. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Russian conscripts have every right not to comply with and sabotage the "criminal decree" of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin . And Ukrainians are urged to surrender to the Defense Forces in case of forced mobilization.

"In this regard, we call on Ukrainians living in the temporarily occupied territories to avoid this criminal 'conscription' in every way possible. In the event of involvement in the war against Ukraine, we urge them to take advantage of the opportunity to be saved through the "I Want to Live" project and voluntarily surrender to the Ukrainian Defense Forces," the statement reads.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also appealed to Ukrainians living in the "historical Ukrainian lands" – Kuban, Starodubshchyna, Northern and Eastern Slobozhanshchyna within the modern Krasnodar Territory, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, Rostov regions of Russia with a request to remember their "roots" and not to participate in the war against the "homeland of their ancestors".

Representatives of indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation were reminded that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is not their war, but Moscow's.

"Moscow is throwing you to seize Ukrainian lands, just as it once seized your lands, and killing you en masse so that others can live on your lands," the diplomatic agency emphasized .

The Ministry noted that Ukraine continues to document all violations of international law by Russia. The evidence will be used to bring the Russian military and political leadership to justice. The MFA called on the international community to increase political, diplomatic and sanctions pressure on Russia.

• In July, foreign intelligence reported that Russia wants to "punish" unmarried men by sending them to the front. This is the so-called "corrective labor" for those who do not want to start a family.
• According to the Foreign Intelligence Service, 1200 new contract soldiers appear in the Russian army every day. This almost covers the losses.
• According to Trump, as of August 1, Russia's spending exceeds Ukraine's by about 14 times in 2025.