Officials Say Ukrainians Abroad Are Targets of Draft Notice Scam

Ukrainians residing in Poland have received counterfeit draft notices, warning them of potential extradition if they oppose Kiev's mobilization efforts. Read Full Article at RT.com

Officials Say Ukrainians Abroad Are Targets of Draft Notice Scam
Poland's Office for Foreigners recently released a statement regarding fake draft notices targeting Ukrainians living in Poland. These notices threaten criminal charges and deportation if recipients do not comply with demands to report for conscription.

On Thursday, the office shared a letter dated December 12 that warned an unnamed Ukrainian about a supposed upcoming visit by Polish officials. ”The purpose of this visit is to ensure your transfer to a mobilization point in connection with the obligation of military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the counterfeit document stated. It further advised that failure to comply could lead Polish authorities to take “further steps” to enforce the mobilization. The letter cautioned that draft dodgers “may face criminal consequences, including extradition to Ukraine.”

An official from the Office for Foreigners stated that the agency “is not the author of such letters.” The fake documents, although resembling official notices, lacked the agency’s logo and failed to reference specific articles of Ukraine's mobilization laws.

The issue has also been addressed by Ukraine’s embassy in Poland, which informed that Ukrainian conscripts, reservists, or individuals eligible for military service “are not being sent draft summonses or notifications.”

The identity of those responsible for this scam remains unknown, and the Office for Foreigners did not confirm whether an investigation is underway.

In the context of the ongoing conflict with Russia, the Ukrainian government has urged citizens who fled after the escalation in 2022 to return home. Media sources indicate that Ukraine is pressuring the EU to reduce financial aid to Ukrainian immigrants. As of October 2024, approximately 4.2 million Ukrainians have been granted temporary protection status in the EU, with nearly 1 million residing in Poland.

Additionally, Poland has become the base for the 'Ukrainian Legion,' a volunteer unit comprised of Ukrainian citizens living there. According to officials in Kiev, this unit has received over 1,000 applications, and some members have already been sent to Ukraine for deployment.

Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News