Series of abductions: situation in the Cherkasy region
A worrying surge in human rights violations by employees of Territorial Recruitment and Mobilization Centers (TRMC) has been recorded in the Cherkasy region. This was stated by the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubynets, on August 13, 2026. According to the human rights defender, only in the last week, seven cases of possible crimes and violations by officials of the Zvenyhorodka district TRMC and security service were recorded in the region.
The situation in the region has gone beyond isolated incidents, turning into a systemic problem requiring immediate response from law enforcement agencies. The Ombudsman emphasizes that the actions of TRMC employees go beyond legal mobilization, turning into arbitrariness and illegal deprivation of citizens' liberty.
"I was stolen": the story of the detention of a man with a deferment
One of the most resonant cases is the story of a man who has a legal right to deferment from conscription due to the need to care for his sick father. The incident occurred when the citizen was heading to work. A car stopped next to him, from which people in military uniform got out. Without explanation and without presenting documents, they twisted the man's hands, put handcuffs on him, and forcibly put him in the car.
"The man managed to call his father and say: 'I was stolen'," Dmytro Lubynets quotes the victim. Two hours after the abduction, the man was 140 kilometers from his home. He was deprived of food, money, and personal belongings. The victim also reported that threats with a weapon and physical pressure were used against him to force him to undergo a military-medical commission (MMC).
Systemic nature of violations and scheme of action
The Ombudsman noted that the case with the man who had a deferment is not isolated. Shortly before this, another citizen, who was completely removed from military registration, was delivered to the Zvenyhorodka TRMC using a similar scheme. This indicates that TRMC employees may act without proper document verification and legal justification, using force to fulfill mobilization plans.
"That is, in a short period of time, there are already several cases that require separate attention," Lubynets stated. He emphasized that each recorded fact will be thoroughly checked, and the actions of the involved officials will be given the appropriate legal assessment. The situation in Cherkasy vividly demonstrates how the mobilization task can replace gross violations of the law.
Ombudsman's position: mobilization does not justify violence
Dmytro Lubynets called for strict compliance with the law during mobilization activities. "Mobilization is needed by the state. But mobilizing does not mean forcibly shoving a person into a car without grounds, putting handcuffs on them, and taking them hundreds of kilometers from home," the human rights defender stated. In his opinion, physical pressure does not motivate citizens, but only generates fear, indignation, and distrust of state institutions.
Recall that earlier Dmytro Lubynets spoke about the critical situation in the Odesa region, which took first place in the number of appeals regarding probable illegal actions of TRMC workers. Since the beginning of the year, 453 complaints from residents of the region have been received by the Ombudsman's Office, among which cases of forced detention and use of force against civilians prevail.
