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Governor: Law enforcement investigates report of alleged enlistment officers pushing man into van

2 min read
Governor: Law enforcement investigates report of alleged enlistment officers pushing man into van
Uniformed men pushing a man into a van in Kharkiv on Jan. 3, 2024. (Kharkiv Life/Telegram)

Law enforcement officers are investigating a report of people in military uniforms forcefully dragging a man into a car in Kharkiv, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said during a press briefing on Jan. 5, New Voice reported.

A video appeared in Telegram channels on Jan. 3, showing two men in military attire and one in civilian clothes pushing a man into a van. The author of the video claimed that the perpetrators were enlistment officers.

The regional enlistment office did not confirm whether the men in question were its employees but said that an investigation is ongoing.

"An investigation is underway to establish the nature of the incident and the identity of the people in uniforms," Olena Rodina, the spokesperson of the enlistment office, told TSN.ua.  

Law enforcement officers have begun checking the circumstances of the incident, Syniehubov said.

"We will consider each fact, and if there are grounds, we will send an appeal to law enforcement to assess actions of supposed employees of the regional enlistment office, should it turn out it was them," Syniehubov said during a press briefing.

According to Suspilne, it remains unclear what happened to the man who was pushed into the van.

In November, an investigation was launched against enlistment and law enforcement officers for handcuffing a man in Odesa and pushing him into a car for allegedly refusing to accept the summons.

Other cases of abuse and corruption in military enlistment offices have been reported throughout the full-scale war.

On Nov. 1, the Bureau uncovered a widespread scheme in which regional military enlistment offices received bribes in exchange for helping people evade mobilization.

An earlier inspection in August also revealed multiple violations, including corruption, abuse of power, and fraud, prompting President Volodymyr Zelensky to fire the heads of all regional military enlistment offices.

State Bureau of Investigation says it uncovered ‘unprecedented’ scheme to evade mobilization
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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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