Draft Dodging in 2022 was a story I wrote at the beginning of this year, as one of my last stories for my 9th-grade year in the Chronicle.

By the time this story was published, the Russo-Ukrainian war had been going on for nearly a week. Although written before the war broke out, it’s still untimely insensitive to the situation going on in Ukraine. 

With recent developments in this war and the rest of the world, it’s not looking good. I don’t want to sugarcoat that in any way, things are not looking good. 

November 16th, 2022, Poland reported a missile strike landing near the Polish-Ukrainian border in the village of Przewodow. 

“There is no indication that this was an intentional attack on Poland[…],” tweeted Polish President Andrzej Duda. “All the leaders with whom I spoke with today assured me of allied support, inclusive of upholding all the provisions of [NATO’s] Art. 5.” 

Article 5 is in reference to the, “[agreement] that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all.” 

This is after the talk that Poland will initiate Article 4. This states that, “The Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened.”

We are still waiting for the U.N. conference to take place, though it’s not difficult to see the implications of invoking Article 5. 

Regardless of Articles 4 and 5, this Russo-Ukrainian war is uncalled for, illegal, and detrimental to moving towards a better world. As of November 13th, 2022, the OHCHR verified 6,557 civilian deaths, with 408 of those being children. 

Another 10,074 have been reported as injured, with at least 750 children included. Russia under Putin’s rule has sparked an illegal war, filled with countless war crimes and Russian losses. 

And I apologize for writing an untimely piece about this tragedy happening in Ukraine right now. 

Resources for Ukraine.

Ukraine Red Cross

World Central Kitchen

GlobalGiving

Kyiv School of Economies

Future For Ukraine

And many more.