Following the initiation of a temporary investigative commission by the Military Law Enforcement Service, surprise inspections have been implemented at military recruitment centers across Ukraine. These inspections also involve centers that have previously participated in commission meetings, as confirmed by a member of parliament.
As of Tuesday morning, July 21, authorities reported identifying 208 instances of legal violations, resulting in 101 administrative protocols and the initiation of criminal proceedings.
Member of Parliament Oleksiy Honcharenko noted that all cases are forwarded to law enforcement and relevant agencies for further action. He shared a letter from the Military Law Enforcement Service indicating that from December 2025 to June 2026, a total of 561 surprise inspections were conducted.
Additionally, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, addressed the ongoing mobilization reform. He stated that while military recruitment centers are under his command, the reform process is predominantly a legislative and administrative task for the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Syrskyi emphasized the readiness of the Ground Forces and recruitment centers for these changes and their active participation in parliamentary discussions, urging the involvement of the police in addressing violations. “However, the reform itself is a legislative and administrative responsibility of the ministry. I await it just as the entire country does,” he remarked.
Context
- In early June, Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported over 3,000 complaints regarding military recruitment centers had been received in his office since the beginning of the year. He highlighted that the actual number of potential violations could be much higher, considering data from media and social networks. Throughout 2025, over 6,000 complaints were documented, primarily concerning the alleged use of force, masked individuals, and the removal of identification symbols by personnel.
- On July 16, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the issues of military recruitment should be addressed by the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Armed Forces together.
