Loading…
Newly recruited German soldiers from the 411th Mechanized Infantry Battalion take up positions during an exercise in the military training area in Viereck, Germany, 8 August 2018. REUTERS / Fabrizio Bensch
The news was revealed in the media report. The rise comes as Germany deepens its involvement in Ukraine and seeks to rebuild its armed forces.
“The German army or the Bundeswehr received 810 applications for registration as conscientious objectors in the first eight months of this year, compared to 209 in 2021,” the report by Der Spiegel said Wednesday, citing data from the Ministry of Defense. German seen by the AFP.
Read also: 6 Highlights from Putin’s Valdai Speech: Nobody sits outside when the storm comes
By registering their refusal to fight, soldiers can renounce military service and can claim their status as conscientious objectors even when conscription is reintroduced.
Fewer active soldiers and women delivered their warnings, with the Bundeswehr receiving 136 refusals to fight this year, down from 176 last year.
However, 190 reservists refused, compared to 10 reservists last year. There were another 484 push-backs by people awaiting employment in the armed forces, up from 23 in 2021.
Read also: Ukraine deploys troops near the Belarusian border
The ministry did not explain the increase, but left party deputy leader Sevim Dagdelen said: “The figure reflects concerns about the consequences of the military escalation of the federal government in Ukraine.”
Although Germany is not officially a party to the conflict in Ukraine, it ignored its initial refusal to supply offensive weapons to Kiev’s forces.
