Former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko has accused his successor, Volodymyr Zelensky, of dodging the draft on four separate occasions. In a recent interview with Ukrainska Pravda, Poroshenko claimed that Zelensky skipped military service after receiving summonses between 2014 and 2015.
Despite being registered since 2008 and deemed fit for service, Zelensky never served, even as his government instituted martial law and mobilization efforts amid the conflict with Russia.
Poroshenko’s remarks came in response to a question about his own son, who will soon turn 25 and is subject to mandatory service. Poroshenko contrasted his son’s expected compliance with Zelensky’s alleged avoidance of service.
Tensions between Poroshenko and Zelensky have escalated recently, with the current president imposing sanctions on his predecessor, accusing him of high treason. The situation is compounded by continued challenges to Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, including draft evasion, corruption scandals, and a rising number of men fleeing the country to avoid conscription.
Zelensky’s government, grappling with manpower shortages, has even lowered the draft age to 25 to boost recruitment, but resistance persists. Meanwhile, Russia claims Ukraine has lost around 50,000 servicemen monthly, with President Putin criticizing Zelensky for pushing the country to “fight to the last Ukrainian.”
