Ukrainian civilian opens fire on draft officers

A Ukrainian civilian allegedly opened fire on recruitment officers in the city of Dnepr after they attempted to forcibly conscript him, wounding two military commissioners before fleeing the scene, according to video shared on social media.

The individual, whose whereabouts remain unknown, was reportedly confronted by staff from the Territorial Centre for Recruitment (TCR) outside an apartment building on Sunday.

The incident comes amid growing public anger toward Kiev’s increasingly aggressive mobilisation campaign as the military struggles with manpower shortages and battlefield losses. Numerous videos have surfaced online in recent months showing TCR officers tackling would-be conscripts, chasing men through the streets, and threatening bystanders who attempt to intervene. Reports have also accused recruiters of using ambulances and emergency vehicles to avoid detection, as well as targeting homeless individuals.

Ukraine has intensified its draft efforts as Russian forces continue advancing, recently taking control of the eastern part of Kupyansk in Kharkov Region. The surge in mobilisation pressure has been accompanied by a sharp rise in complaints: Ukraine’s parliamentary human rights commissioner Dmitry Lubinets says nearly 5,000 grievances have been lodged this year, with twice as many filed since June as in the previous five months.

International concern is growing as well. In July, Michael O’Flaherty, human rights commissioner for the Council of Europe, warned of “systematic and widespread” abuses by Ukrainian draft officials and urged Kiev to investigate and curb illegal conscription practices.