In connection with the search for draft dodgers in Ukraine, Ukrainians abroad have begun receiving fake letters of alleged extradition to serve in the Armed Forces. Find out whether extradition is possible in this way and which EU countries have opposed extradition

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Ukrainians who have been granted temporary protection in Ireland have begun receiving fake letters of extradition to Ukraine to serve in the armed forces, allegedly sent by the Ministry of Justice. However, according to The Irish Times, the department warns of fraud and denies any involvement in these letters.

"Fraud is a widespread phenomenon. Some of the most common types of fraud include the use of fake emails, calls or text messages posing as genuine companies and organizations. If anyone is unsure of the authenticity of any correspondence purporting to come from the Ministry of Justice, they can contact 1800-221227," the Ministry of Justice said.

Read more about who can be extradited, how this process works and under what circumstances in our previous article.

What do the extradition letters to Ukraine say?

The letters state that the Ministry of Justice has allegedly received a request for extradition from the Ukrainian government "due to the fact that the person is eligible for military service in Ukraine but has not fulfilled his or her legal obligation to serve in the armed forces."

The recipients of the letters are urged to appear in court for a hearing on the extradition request and threatened with an arrest warrant. That is, if a person does not appear in court, he or she "may be held in custody until the extradition procedure is completed." 

In addition, a similar situation was reported in the UK, Lithuania, and Poland. Thus, according to Reuters, the fake letters were aimed at collecting data on Ukrainian men who are in the country and have temporary protection.

They tried to collect data through families who had sheltered Ukrainian refugees, demanding information about Ukrainian males over the age of 18. In addition, the letter noted that refugees should contact the embassy to clarify their personal data.

However, the UK Department said that the letters were fake and noted that the text of the mailings had grammatical and spelling errors, and the attackers used a fictitious email address for feedback.

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Which countries have officially refused to extradite draft evaders to Ukraine?

A number of countries have stated that they will not extradite Ukrainians who tried to evade mobilization. In particular, such statements were made in Poland, Austria, Hungary, Germany and the Czech Republic. The reports state that the demand for the men's extradition contradicts the current legislation of the countries, as the European Convention excludes extradition for war crimes, evasion of military service, desertion or disobedience to orders.

At the same time, Austria noted that the demand for extradition of Ukrainians is an attempt to interfere "with our asylum system and our sovereignty. No one can even think that Austria will do this."

And Hungary emphasized that they do not check the suitability of Ukrainian refugees for military service and added that "every refugee from Ukraine is a free person in Hungary, who is free to decide whether to stay here, go to the West, or, if they decide, return back."

We remind you! The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) stipulates that all visitors to EU countries outside the EU will have to register online in advance. In particular, starting from mid-2024, Ukrainians, like other foreigners, will be required to obtain an entry permit. Read more about how ETIAS will work here.

Photo: IvanSemenovich/Depositphotos

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