The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has decided to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the activities of Territorial Recruitment and Mobilization Centers (TRMCs) in the Mykolaiv and Odesa regions. This initiative comes in response to high-profile complaints from Verkhovna Rada deputies and reports of human rights violations during mobilization activities.

An official statement was made by Deputy Minister of Defense Vasyl Shkurakov during the "Government Question Hour" in parliament. According to him, the inspection will be comprehensive and will cover the work of both regional authorities.

Phone Confiscation Scandal and Corruption Risks

The trigger for the officials' strong reaction was questions raised by Anton Yatsenko, a deputy from the "For the Future" faction. The politician drew attention to systemic problems in the work of military commissariats, specifically the practice of confiscating mobile phones from citizens arriving for draft boards, as well as cases of humiliation of human dignity.

"This is unacceptable. We are directly investigating all cases of phone confiscation or humiliation of dignity," emphasized Shkurakov, acknowledging that such actions violate the legal rights of people.

Furthermore, the deputy raised the issue of personnel integrity within the TRMCs. Yatsenko pointed out cases of hiring former police officers who had previously been dismissed for corruption offenses or for cruelty. As an example, he cited the situation at the Uman TRMC.

Government Response and Personnel Changes

The Ministry of Defense confirmed that the issue with the Uman Recruitment Center is already being addressed. The head of this TRMC, Nekrasov, has been transferred to another position. However, work to eliminate problems in this region continues.

To accelerate the response to complaints, the department is implementing new accounting mechanisms. Appeals from MPs and public organizations are now recorded in separate registers, which will allow for a faster response to reports of violations.

Context: Reform and Other Scandals

Vasyl Shkurakov added that a reform of the Territorial Recruitment and Mobilization Centers will be presented at the upcoming government meeting. This indicates that the department is ready for systemic changes in the work of the conscription service.

The inspections of TRMCs are taking place against the backdrop of a series of high-profile incidents related to mobilization and service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

  • The Single Father Case: Recently, the mobilization of a man raising a five-year-old daughter on his own caused a wide resonance. TRMC employees refused him a deferment, citing signs of forgery in the court decision he provided for exemption from service.
  • The "Skala" Regiment Scandal: Another reason for strict measures was the investigation into the 425th Separate Assault Regiment "Skala". Following reports of the death of recruits and possible torture, the Detective Bureau (DBR) opened a criminal case, and the regiment commander was removed from his position.

The combination of these facts indicates that the Ukrainian leadership is forced to take decisive measures to restore trust in the mobilization system and ensure the rights of citizens during wartime.