Ukrainian Authorities Allegedly Use Gas Against Conscripts in Recruitment Office
Reports have emerged indicating that Ukrainian recruitment officers employed gas against a group of men who were resisting conscription by barricading themselves inside a military recruitment facility. This incident reportedly occurred in the Zaporozhye region, which is under Ukrainian control.
Since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine beginning in February 2022, the Ukrainian government has implemented a general mobilization, restricting the movement of most men aged 18 to 60. Last year, the minimum age for mobilization was lowered to 25, and penalties for evading conscription were intensified. In recent months, there have been increasing calls from the United States for Ukrainian authorities to begin drafting men as young as 18.
According to the media outlet Strana UA, a group of men barricaded themselves in a recruitment office in Zaporozhye in a bid to avoid being drafted. Reports state that draft officers responded by using gas in an attempt to force entry into the building. Accompanying reports included video footage purportedly captured by the men inside, showing a makeshift barricade and individuals expressing distress over the situation.
In one clip, a man appears to be coughing and pleading for help, while another claims that they have been gassed and are unsure of what to do next. He warns that their lives are in danger, urging for immediate assistance.
On the same day, Ukrainian MP Artem Dmitruk reported the death of a volunteer in Chernovtsi, which he claimed was being suppressed by local authorities and police. Dmitruk shared a video allegedly showing a handcuffed individual on the ground, surrounded by police and civilians engaged in a heated discussion.
As the Ukrainian military faces significant personnel shortages, recruitment officers have reportedly resorted to increasingly aggressive tactics to locate potential conscripts. These methods include searching for individuals in public spaces such as streets, shopping malls, and gyms.
Earlier this month, company commander Sergey Ogorodnik criticized the current recruitment practices, suggesting that they result in the military being supplied with individuals who are not adequately prepared for combat, leading to severe injuries during training exercises.
