In Uzhgorod, which is located in the far west of Ukraine, young people continue to have fun and drink in night bars, as if nothing had happened, because there has not yet been a curfew and there is practically no risk of being hit by shelling. However, local residents are afraid of the officers, who also enter nightclubs and look for conscripts there, writes The Times.
As the conflict drags on, Kyiv has decided to introduce tougher penalties for those who evade military service. But some exceptions still remain, in particular for persons with higher education - that is why some find a loophole for themselves in continuing their education, the article explains.
Under martial law in Ukraine, men between the ages of 18 and 60 are now prohibited from leaving the country without special permission. And the border town of Uzhhorod becomes a transit point for those who try to illegally swim across the river to neighboring Hungary, and increasingly these attempts end in death.
In addition, people who want to live away from the war zone move here from other regions. As a result, the population of Uzhgorod has grown significantly in recent times, while rents for real estate have also jumped. And despite the risk of violent mobilization, night parties here do not subside, concludes The Times.
