Ukrainians are targeting military recruitment centers: who is to blame and is it possible to improve the perception of military officials?

February began with attacks on military personnel from the TCK and SP in various regions of Ukraine, resulting in fatalities and injuries.

Attacks on TCK: What is Happening in Ukraine

On February 1, it was reported that at a gas station in Pyriatyn, Poltava region, a man in a gray balaclava and pixelated pants shot an employee of the TCK and SP, leading to the latter's death from severe injuries.

On the same day, an explosion occurred in the TCK premises in Rivne. One person was reported dead, and six others were injured. On February 2, according to the National Police, an unidentified object exploded near the building of the Pavlohrad TCK and SP, injuring one individual.

The following day, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi reacted to these incidents. He emphasized that "violence against military personnel is unacceptable."

"We expect a thorough and comprehensive investigation into these crimes. Those responsible must face appropriate punishment. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are doing everything possible to protect our state and the Ukrainian people. In the context of a full-scale war, this is impossible without mobilization measures," said the Commander-in-Chief.

According to him, the Armed Forces are doing everything to prevent human rights violations during mobilization, while the Ground Forces are trying to overcome existing problems in the operation of TCKs, correcting mistakes, and improving the quality of work of military enlistment offices.

"However, the nationwide effort to defend Ukraine is impossible without public support for the army and respect for military personnel. I am grateful to everyone who supports the Armed Forces of Ukraine and to each person who respects Ukrainian warriors," added Syrskyi.

In turn, the head of the CPD at the NSDC, Andriy Kovalенко, stated that operations related to explosions in TCKs are directed by Russian special services. They are also intensifying an information campaign aimed at discrediting mobilization in Ukraine. This involves structures from the Main Intelligence Directorate and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.

"At the same time, a media campaign that has been ongoing since 2022 is intensifying, particularly with significant efforts to undermine mobilization and infiltrate the media segment (bloggers, bots, social networks) that the Russians have invested in since 2024," Kovalенко reported.

Why are Ukrainians Attacking Military Recruiters and What Will Happen to Mobilization?

"Even if we assume that it is indeed Russian special services behind this, I believe that the Ukrainian citizens who carried out these actions — and they were done by Ukrainians, to leave no doubt that there are no Russians left in Ukraine — did so with pleasure. Sometimes it seems to me that they might not have even taken money for it, because there is significant public animosity towards what TCKs are doing — the 'busification,' a dismissive and superficial attitude as if they are above others," said Stupak.

In his opinion, Ukrainians understand that during the war, TCK employees earn enormous sums of money. Notably, there are widely known cases of corruption where asking for $1,000 to exit a "bus," $5,000 for release from TCK territory, and $10,000 for the chance to leave TCK premises were reported.

"I think this helps the Russians recruit people, and individuals are actively working against TCKs, even for free," the expert continued.

The expert believes that TCK employees do not need protection even due to such horrifying incidents, but there is a need to change their operational approach.

"But you see, no one will change anything until the end of the war. This busification will continue. What they are doing will persist until the war's conclusion," he stated.

According to MP Yuliya Yatsyk, a member of the temporary investigative commission of the Verkhovna Rada regarding the protection of military personnel's rights, the fact that Russians actively use outrageous cases of coercive "busification," mobilization of the unfit, falsification of VVK conclusions, schemes to evade conscription, and overall complete distrust of TCKs negatively impacts mobilization rates, reducing the already extremely low willingness of Ukrainians to join the army and portraying Ukraine on the global stage as a totalitarian state that employs illegal coercive methods against its own citizens.

She is convinced that to change the situation, the following is necessary:

• reform of TCKs. According to the Ministry of Defense, 2/3 of TCK military personnel are fit for service. Meanwhile, mobilization activities, accounting for reservists, amending personal files, and issuing documents can be performed by those with limited fitness and civilian hired personnel;
• unblocking recruitment. Brigades were allowed to independently recruit reservists, but for the slogan "choose your place of service" to work effectively, the General Staff needs to move away from the principle of manual management of mobilization resources, where a mobilized individual with a relation to a certain brigade cannot join it because they are considered conscripted by the TCK, thus the distribution of servicemen from training centers occurs at the discretion of the General Staff, without regard to their preferences.

"To determine whether military personnel should be classified as a separate subject of criminal offenses (in cases not related to military service), we have made several inquiries to law enforcement agencies. So we will work in this direction as well," concluded the MP.

Ivan Stupak noted that mobilization in Ukraine has already weakened, while attacks on TCK employees are a reaction from the people. He reminded that there are no longer queues at military enlistment offices; individuals are being conscripted on the streets.

"I know many examples of people being simply pulled off the streets. On Thursday night in Kyiv — by Saturday morning, he is already at a training ground in one of the regions. The motivation of the individuals taken by the TCK is zero. And the capability of these units to perform any actions is also virtually zero," the expert believes.

Manipulation and Propaganda: The Motives of the Attackers

Yuliya Yatsyk reported that the explosions at TCKs in Dnipropetrovsk region and Rivne are classified under part 1 of article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine as "Terrorist Act." She noted that the aim of terrorist acts is always to destabilize the socio-political situation in the country, to incite fear, intimidate people, and create a dangerous environment.

"The murder of a serviceman in Poltava region (as well as cases of killings by military TCK personnel of mobilized individuals) are separate stories, individual tragedies that should not be linked to terrorism. At least not by the criteria of motives and objectives. Since the suspect in the murder of the serviceman in Pyriatyn has been detained, we will soon learn about his motives. The motives of the individual who committed the terrorist act in Rivne are unlikely to be known — he died at the scene," said Yatsyk.

Military lawyer Oleg Leontiev is convinced that individuals who commit such acts against TCKs are under manipulative influence, believing that military recruiters are bad, primarily under the suggestion of propagandistic Russian channels.

He noted that the guilty will be punished according to the law's requirements. However, according to the lawyer, first, those who incite hatred should be punished. While the attackers on TCKs fell under suggestion, this is direct manipulation, a psychological battle.

Leontiev pointed out that TCK employees are armed and can therefore immediately shoot to kill, according to the regulations of garrison and guard services.

Recall that on February 2, the commander of the 413th separate battalion of unmanned systems "Reid," Yevhen Karas, noted that in the coming days, there will be more explosions near military enlistment offices. He believes that Russian special services will throw all their forces into this.

On the same day, the commander of the Ground Forces Mykhailo Drapatiy stated that the killing of military personnel in the rear is a red line that cannot be crossed. According to him, without just punishment for murderers, malefactors, and traitors, there will be more killed servicemen in the rear.