Desperate for soldiers, Ukraine weighs unpopular plan to expand the draft

By SAMYA KULLAB and SUSIE BLANN
Associated Press

LYMAN, Ukraine (AP) — When the Russian army invaded two years ago, Ukrainian men zealously rushed to recruitment centers across the country to enlist, ready to die in defense of their nation. Today, with Russia in control of roughly one-quarter of Ukraine and the two armies virtually deadlocked along the front line, that spirit to enlist has faded: Many Ukrainian men are evading the draft by hiding at home or trying to bribe their way out of the battle. As the war enters its third year, the most urgent and politically sensitive challenge pressing on Ukraine is whether it can muster enough new soldiers to repel an enemy with far more fighters at its disposal.