Ukraine probes death of drafted man allegedly killed by enlistment officer
Ukraine's State Investigation Bureau is investigating the death of a conscripted man from Kyiv that occurred after he was allegedly beaten by an enlistment officer, the agency announced on July 18.
The man died in May but the information about the incident was divulged only recently.
The enlistment officer who carried out the beating has been charged with abuse of power under martial law with grave consequences, a charge that carries a prison term of up to 12 years. Another enlistment officer is accused of failing to prevent a crime committed by a subordinate, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Both men are in custody following a court decision on July 17 to extend their detention.
The incident occurred during the transfer of newly conscripted soldiers from a training center in western Ukraine to the capital.
One of the mobilized men, a Kyiv resident, allegedly became unruly on the bus, prompting an employee of the Shevchenkivskyi enlistment office to beat him and use a stun gun, according to the State Investigation Bureau.
According to court records cited by the Judicial and Legal Newspaper, the deceased had been considered a violator of military registration rules since Feb. 6.
He was deemed fit for service following a medical examination and sent to multiple units, only to be returned repeatedly due to health problems, including varicose veins and complications from a hip injury.
On May 8, he was transferred to a training center in Lviv Oblast but was again sent back. During the return trip to Kyiv, the bus stopped at a supermarket where some of the mobilized individuals were allowed to purchase low-alcohol beverages.
After consuming one, the man became agitated and began shouting, prompting the violent response.
According to the case file, he was struck in the face and torso by an enlistment officer. After he collapsed, the officer hit the man with a stun gun at least three to four times and struck his head against the floor multiple times, the records show.
Ukraine's mobilization process is overseen by regional enlistment offices and the Defense Ministry. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has tightened mobilization rules, lowered the draft age from 27 to 25, and criminalized evasion.
As the war continues, calls for reform and oversight have grown amid reports of abuse and corruption in military enlistment offices.
