Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly condemned the incidents that took place in Lviv, where a mob attacked employees of Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRC) and law enforcement officers. The head of state called what happened a "very bad story" and emphasized that such treatment of military personnel is absolutely unacceptable.
Reaction from the country's leadership
Zelenskyy's statement came during a meeting with journalists. The President noted that the details of the incident had already been reported to him by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko. In his comment, the head of state called for strict adherence to the law: "The Ministry of Internal Affairs will investigate this within the framework, of course, of current legislation. And the Ministry of Defense must do everything they promised".
Chronology of events: from blockade to overturning the vehicle
The conflict erupted on July 8 on Chervona Kalyna Avenue. On this day, employees of the Sykhiv TRC, together with the police, were carrying out citizen notification activities. The situation got out of control when an aggressive crowd of about 200 people surrounded the military's official vehicle.
The actions of the protesters escalated into vandalism: the vehicle was blocked, damaged, and eventually overturned. The confrontation did not subside even on the night of July 9. When additional police forces arrived at the scene to resolve the situation, some of the rioters offered active resistance. During the clashes, the deputy head of the district police department suffered multiple head injuries.
Detention and criminal prosecution
Investigative authorities have already held one of the participants accountable. Law enforcement officers detained a 23-year-old man who participated in the mass riots and beat a police officer. The suspect is being prepared to face charges under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. In total, he faces up to 8 years in prison.
The National Police and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) are continuing the investigation, which is being conducted under two separate criminal proceedings.
