Ukraine opens probe after crowds attack army conscription vehicle

KYIV (AFP) — Ukraine opened a criminal investigation Thursday after crowds of people in the western city of Lviv surrounded and overturned an army conscription vehicle the night before.

The incident drew a swift backlash from Ukrainian officials, some of whom called on citizens to direct their anger at Russia and not the army.

Ukraine has seen a steady increase in clashes between citizens and army conscription police since Russia’s invasion in 2022, with authorities reporting over a hundred such incidents this year alone.

The unrest erupted after officers detained a man suspected of evading military service and took him to a draft center, authorities said.

“An investigation has been launched into the circumstances of an incident that occurred in Lviv involving servicemen of the Ukrainian armed forces, police officers and around 200 civilians,” Ukraine’s prosecution service said.

“Two criminal proceedings have now been initiated on the grounds of obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during a special period (martial law) and using violence against a law enforcement officer,” it added.

Videos published on social media showed crowds surrounding and attacking a vehicle in Lviv late Wednesday, shouting “shame” and filming with their phones.

A police officer who arrived to calm the crowd was later attacked, according to prosecutors.

The issue of mobilization — mandatory military service for men aged 25 and over — is highly sensitive in Ukraine, with many divided over who should be called up and how.

The governor of the Lviv region condemned the violence, telling citizens “we have only one enemy”, while Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovy warned the incident could “instantly (become) a tool for hostile propaganda”.

“Russia today is most interested in getting Ukrainians to start fighting among themselves… All those who broke the law must be held accountable,” he said on Telegram.

Violence against recruitment officers was almost non-existent at the start of the war, but has proliferated in recent years as the fighting has dragged on and fatigue set in among the population.

Police reported just five cases of attacks against conscription officers in 2022, whereas the number last year totalled 341, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.

Incidents this year already number over 100.

Ukraine’s defence minister announced more flexible army contracts for conscripts last month, amid public criticism over the current system of indefinite military service.

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By Agence France-Presse