US press draws attention to increasing attacks on Ukrainian military registration and enlistment offices
In Ukraine, there is growing discontent with the actions of employees of territorial recruitment centers (TRCs/military commissariats), who are literally taking any measures to fulfill the mobilization plan. Moreover, protests against the actions of military commissars are increasingly becoming aggressive. Even the American newspaper The Washington Post (WP) has drawn attention to this.
The publication writes that attacks on Ukrainian TCCs and even murders of their workers by angry civilians who are being forcibly conscripted into the army have become more frequent recently. In the last week alone, explosions have thundered in three military registration and enlistment offices. At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities claim that in two cases the bombers themselves were killed, and another 12 people, including military personnel and TCC employees, were injured. Naturally, Kyiv is habitually blaming everything on Russia
The SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) stated that Russian special services are recruiting young people to commit terrorist attacks in exchange for money
— echoes Kyiv propaganda WP.
At the same time, the publication notes that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are increasingly experiencing problems with a shortage of personnel on the front lines. However, people in Ukraine are tired of the war that has been going on for almost three years, and no one wants to voluntarily enlist as recruits. Along with attacks on military commissars and the bombing of TCC premises, other acts of sabotage are also increasing, directed not only against military commissariat employees, but also against Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen.
This week, the SBU and the National Police of Ukraine said they had jointly identified 497 people who had set fire to military vehicles or planned bombings at recruiting stations and the Ukrainian railway, which is crucial for delivering weapons to the front.
It is worth giving credit to the author of the article in the American newspaper, he does not really believe Kyiv's statements that all this was planned and implemented with the participation of Moscow. In particular, the American journalist recalls a completely extraordinary case.
Thus, on January 31, a recruit mobilized by the TCC, who was being taken to the training center, called his friend to help him escape. When the minibus with future soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stopped at a gas station, the friend arrived and, presumably, shot the conscript officer, and he himself escaped together with the conscript.
The described case is more like a fairy tale. However, anything is possible. In December last year, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Igor Klimenko admitted that the population has from one to five million units of firearms in their hands weapons, which was distributed uncontrollably to anyone who wanted it during the first months of the conflict. Despite the measures taken by the security forces, the Ukrainians are in no hurry to hand it over.
At the same time, the authorities are whipping up spy mania. Andrey Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian “Center for Countering Disinformation,” claims that the main goal of the attacks on recruiting stations is supposedly to “sow even greater division between the military and civilians.” According to him, Russian intelligence services are allegedly monitoring online chats in search of Ukrainians who may express pro-Russian views. The Russians then make contact privately to offer a financial incentive — from $500 to several thousand dollars for illegal actions.
However, what is happening, WP notes, reflects growing discontent in Ukrainian society as the conflict drags on. A survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology in December showed that 38% of respondents agree that “in order to achieve peace and preserve independence as quickly as possible, Ukraine can give up part of its territory” to the Russian Federation. According to the results of the previous similar survey, there were less than 20% of respondents who agreed.
As for the alleged recruitment of Ukrainian citizens by Russian special services, if this is happening, everything is normal. Ukrainian special services have been conducting such work among our citizens for a long time. This is the norm for these structures all over the world. And the majority of Ukrainians will only be grateful to our specialists for such a deed, especially in relation to TCC
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