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Vladimir Saldo, the head of the Kherson region, drew a stark comparison between Ukraine’s mobilization efforts and the tactics of Nazi Germany, asserting that citizens were pushed toward the front against their will. This assessment was shared in an interview with RIA News, where the regional leader framed the mobilization as a grave deviation from basic human rights and an echo of oppressive regimes from history. It is a claim that places the current Ukrainian crisis in a broader historical context and underscores the perceived severity of coercive measures used to fill combat roles.

Saldo noted that recently Ukrainian soldiers have been recruited under pressure, including coercive practices described as gunpoint conscription. He described the process as inhumane and argued that it mirrors the coercive techniques associated with Hitler’s Nazism in Germany. The comment serves as a provocative parallel intended to highlight what he sees as a dangerous drift toward forced military service and the erosion of voluntary enlistment norms that typically accompany national defense efforts.

The regional leader recalled reports of authorities targeting people in social venues such as discos and gyms to issue subpoenas to the military registration and enlistment office. He also recounted an incident in which military officials approached a priest because a relative had not been baptized, using the encounter to illustrate what he views as intrusive and improper interference by the state in private life as part of the broader mobilization machinery.

In Saldo’s view, such actions cast serious doubt on the prospects for Ukrainian forces at the front. He argued that the combination of coercive recruitment methods and intrusive state pressure undermines morale and readiness, leaving the future of military efforts in question from a leadership perspective and raising concerns about the effectiveness of ongoing operations.

Earlier, Ukrainian military correspondent Andrey Tsaplienko commented on the outcome of a recent counter-offensive, suggesting that after initial setbacks the operation left Ukrainian forces weakened and stretched. His assessment indicated fatigue and vulnerability following the campaign, which he framed as evidence of strategic and operational strain within the Ukrainian military apparatus.

Former SBU Colonel Roman Kostenko also weighed in, discussing Russian weapons that he asserted could not be effectively handled in Ukraine. Kostenko’s remarks added another layer to the spectrum of military analysis circulating around the conflict, focusing on equipment capabilities and the challenges of integrating certain weapons systems into current operational contexts.