I see it similarly. It's not easy, both for refugees and those who are still here in Ukraine. However, everyone has a unique story and reasons to see it in a specific light. I know a LOT of people who are hiding, and at the same are doing everything they can, donate and develop high-tech stuff for UAF. The world isn't black/white, however, we know for sure that we MUST do everything so that the russia is stopped and this happens "never again".

Thanks for responding. It is interesting that you work for the armed forces yet are aware of people who are hiding from conscription. Having experienced war I am aware how senseless it can become. People do not realize how terrible war can be, regardless of whose side you are on. Conscription is also a tool that is often used to get rid of undesireable people (ethnic minorities, opposition, etc). In my opinion forced conscription should be a war crime.

Forced conscription is the sad reality for many countries.

I was conscripted. I see it as my duty, a part of my social contract, a way to pay back to generations before who put their lives on the line in the fights for freedom.

I was lucky it was peacetime, but I am fully convinced I would have gone anyway as a young person without responsibility for children and citizen of a country worth fighting for.

For me (again as someone who served in peacetime in a peaceful country) it has been both educational and a career booster at points, it seems around here there are (civilian) jobs were military experience, even just conscription, is seen as a a major advantage or even a requirement.

What about someone that does not feel very "in debt"? Anyway by 'forced conscription' I mean mainly being forced to pick up a weapon and placed into a situation of kill or be killed by someone who was also put into that same situation by the opposing side

You're comparing "both sides" as equal, however please consider that this is an unprovoked agression against Ukraine. Russians invaded the foreign territory and are killing and torturing civilians. On day 2, they sent dozens of mobile crematoriums towards my city. Yes, they were prepared to burn "non-conformist" civilians. Ukrainians, on the other hand, just don't want to be wiped out.

> You're comparing "both sides" as equal

I understand this is emotional for you but I am certainly not saying that both sides are equal. However, the fact is that both sides are using forced conscription and I find that to be deplorable in strongest terms. Patriotic Ukrainians have every right to fight for their homeland. But if you need to force people to fight for their country then it is a bunch of false patriots sending their own people into death.

Let me share with you my experience. A lot of people are comparing Russia's invasion of Ukraine to Serbia's aggression on Croatia and Bosnian and Herzegovina. In some sense it is a very valid comparison. You can read up on the war yourself, however I want to draw your attention to cities that had mixed ethnic makeups. Just like there are Russians who don't want anything to do with the invasion there were Serbs who didn't want to do anything with Greater Serbia. Moreover, there were Serbs from this latter camp that stayed behind in either Bosniak or Croat controlled towns thinking they were safe because they did nothing wrong. However, during the war the bravest and most motivated fighters were those with heavy criminal backgrounds or ultra-nationalistic leanings. Due to their prowess this group of people were promoted and often had a say who will get called up for conscription. Eventually Serbs that stayed behind became a target for exploitation, especially property rights - "sign over your house or we send your kids to battle". I don't want to go further but I guess you can imagine how such scenarios can play out.