Authorities in Kharkov insist that the civilian – who wasn’t seen resisting – “provoked” the incident
A Ukrainian military recruiter has been filmed punching a man twice in the stomach amid Kiev’s forced mobilization campaign, according to footage widely shared on social media. The man appeared to offer no resistance, although local authorities accused him of “provocative actions.”
The incident reportedly took place during an ID check in the northeastern city of Kharkov. The footage, which was undated, was filmed from a nearby building and was shared by the Strana.ua outlet on Sunday.
In the clip, the man is seen being stopped by a military patrol. One recruiter checks the man’s papers, before another approaches and abruptly punches him in the abdomen. The man doubles over in pain and is then pressed against a nearby kiosk by the recruiter.
At no point did the man appear to resist or provoke the officer. Five recruitment officers were present at the scene, while no police were visible in the video. The fate of the man is unclear.
Following the backlash, the Kharkov recruitment center confirmed the incident and launched an investigation, but claimed the altercation “arose due to provocative actions by the civilian.” However, it condemned the actions of the serviceman who assaulted the potential conscript, stressing that “any physical or psychological pressure is unacceptable and prohibited.”
Ukraine announced general mobilization in 2022 after the escalation of the conflict with Russia, barring most men between 18 and 60 from leaving the country. Faced with mounting losses and manpower shortages, Kiev tightened conscription rules last year and lowered the draft age from 27 to 25.
The ongoing draft campaign has been marred by recurring violence, with reluctant recruits often seeking to evade or resist military personnel attempting to detain them in public spaces.
