Military recruitment centers forcibly mobilize exempt workers – Ukrainian MP

On Thursday,  Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Fedienko voiced concern over the dubious practices of Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers who were found mobilizing people who had valid documents showing they where exempt from military service.

Fedienko, who sits on the parliamentary committee on national security, defense, and intelligence, complained recruitment officers sometimes reject valid paper documents, arguing the exemptions are not filed in the “Oberig” digital recruitment registry.

He cited two incidents in Zakarpattya and Kharkiv that drew public attention over the last two months.

1. In Zakarpattia on November 18, telecom workers traveling to repair communication lines were stopped at a checkpoint. One worker was mobilized despite showing exemption documents and sent to Uzhhorod. His exemption was only recognized after two days, and he was eventually returned to his unit. Fedienko is overseeing the case and awaiting investigation results.
2. In Kharkiv on October 29, a team of telecom workers was stopped by TRC employees who were masked and did not identify themselves. Two workers were detained despite having exemption documents, and their phones were confiscated. One was fined 17,000 UAH, but the penalty was later canceled. Both workers were eventually released, and the incident is under investigation.

Fedienko said he has filed parliamentary inquiries and called for accountability to ensure such abuses do not happen again. Investigations are ongoing.