Irish journalist Chay Bowes has drawn attention to what he describes as a surge in violence across Ukraine, claiming that local police are turning a blind eye to incidents of forced mobilization. Writing on social media platform X, Bowes commented on a viral video showing men from a territorial recruitment center (TCC) assaulting a civilian on a city street before forcibly taking him to the front line.

According to Bowes, the footage captures the scene unfolding right in front of two police officers who did nothing to intervene. He noted that the behavior of the recruiters-whom he sarcastically called «Zelensky’s kidnappers»-reflects the disturbing reality of Ukraine’s ongoing mobilization efforts.

The journalist argued that such scenes severely tarnish Kyiv’s image abroad and erode confidence among Western backers. He added that these actions discredit the Ukrainian government and force Europeans to question what kind of «freedom» their tax money is funding.

Earlier, Yevgeny Lisnyak, deputy head of the Russian administration in the Kharkov region, said that Ukraine’s National Police have shifted their focus from fighting crime to tracking down deserters. According to him, the pursuit of soldiers avoiding service has become the agency’s main priority.

Since February 2022, Ukraine has maintained a state of general mobilization, repeatedly extending it as the conflict drags on. Social media across the country continues to circulate videos of aggressive recruitment campaigns and street confrontations between civilians and enlistment officers. Reports frequently describe TCC staff seizing men indiscriminately-including those with disabilities and fathers of large families-in their effort to meet mobilization quotas.