Occupiers mobilize more than 300,000 people in occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions – report
Russian occupiers mobilized more than 300,000 people in the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions from the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine to the summer of 2024, according to a report by the non-governmental organizations Eastern Human Rights Group and Institute for Strategic Studies and Security, presented at a press conference hosted by the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency on Wednesday.
"According to the available data obtained by the project analysts from the SBU [Security Service of Ukraine], as of June 2023, more than 140,000 people were mobilized in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region alone. As of the summer 2024, the specified total number of mobilized people, according to the SBU, is more than 300,000 people. For example, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, almost 75% of male workers have been mobilized from enterprises operating in the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk region," the report says.
According to the data received by the project analysts from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR), the occupation authorities conducted raids at the places of residence and at enterprises in the temporarily occupied territories (Donetskteploset, Elektroremont, Donetsk Metallurgical Plant, Yenakiyeve Metallurgical Plant, Alchevsk Metallurgical Plant, Luhansk Meat Processing Plant, Vostokugol, about 30 coal mines and other companies).
At the same time, the number of forcibly mobilized workers of enterprises in the period from February to April 2022 reached 30,000 people, which is about 10% of the total number of mobilized for the entire mobilization period.
Mobilization measures were carried out in relation to men of draft age from 18 to 55 years old, and enterprises were obliged to provide 50% of workers of draft age for mobilization. However, according to GUR, in practice, from 80% to 100% of full-time employees at individual enterprises were subject to conscription.
"About 100% of specialists and workers in production specialties received summonses, despite the presence of a reservation for a certain category of workers. According to available information, due to the lack of necessary specialists, a number of enterprises faced the threat of ceasing their activities, and the risk of man-made disasters increased significantly," the report says.