The Permanent Mission of the President of Ukraine to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea considers the ongoing spring campaign to draft residents of the Russia-occupied peninsula into the Russian army illegal and asks them to report such cases.
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"We emphasize such actions by the Russian Federation are a persistent war crime, and the fact that the draft occurs during the [coronavirus] pandemic threatens the life and health of people," the Mission said.
"We appeal to Crimeans who do not want to join the Russian army and get a criminal sentence for dodging to report facts of illegal conscription and military service. After all, the evidence to be gathered will help in the work to stop illegal conscription in Crimea, using international leverage," it said.
The Ukrainian-based Prosecutor's Office for Crimea, together with human rights organizations, has already notified the International Criminal Court "of Russian war crimes in Crimea, including the forced conscription into the armed forces of the occupying state."
