Ombudsman Alleges Abuse at Ukraine Recruitment Center

Ombudsman reports illegal detention, abuse, and unsanitary conditions at Uzhhorod recruitment center, files criminal complaint, urges reforms, while authorities launch investigation into alleged systemic violations.

Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets stated that he had filed a report on alleged criminal offenses following a visit by his representative to the Uzhhorod Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center. According to him, such institutions have “effectively turned into places of detention without any legal grounds.”

According to Hromadske, he wrote about this on social media.

Lubinets’ representative in Zakarpattia region, Andrii Kriuchkov, conducted a monitoring visit to the Uzhhorod District Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center. According to him, “despite obstruction by officials, it was possible to document outrageous violations.”

People were reportedly held there for weeks, some for up to 50 days. Among them was a veteran with a combatant’s certificate, who was not released despite having it. In addition, the ombudsman said that detainees had their documents and phones confiscated without proper procedures, depriving them of their right to defense.

“The conditions of detention degrade human dignity: for 40–60 people, there are only three mugs and eight metal plates. People are forced to eat in turns from the same dishes without proper cleaning, and there is no evidence that meals are being organized. There is complete unsanitary conditions — one toilet and one shower for such a number of people, and no bedding,” he said.

In addition, obvious illnesses were ignored at the Uzhhorod center, Lubinets added. He showed a photo of a man with fused fingers — “a condition that is impossible not to notice, yet he continued to be held.” He also noted that an ambulance was called for a man with blood pressure of 190/100 only after the ombudsman’s representative intervened, despite the fact that the man had been asking for help for several days.

“After this, it is hardly surprising that we receive reports of sudden deaths in the premises of Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers. If no fundamental changes are introduced to the mobilization system in the near future, and if TCRSC employees are not held strictly legally accountable for unlawful actions, the situation will only worsen,” Lubinets believes.

Following the visit, he filed a report on criminal offenses under Articles 146, 127, 344, and 426-1 of the Criminal Code (unlawful deprivation of liberty, torture, interference in the activities of a state official, and inaction) and took the situation under his personal control.

“There is still a perception in society that raising such facts means playing into Russian propaganda. In reality, it is lawlessness itself that benefits the enemy […] Mobilization is necessary, the war continues, but everything must take place strictly within the legal framework. I condemn both unlawful actions by TCRSC employees and, at the same time, any attacks on the staff of these institutions,” he added.

Operational Command “West” stated that it had initiated the work of a special commission to verify the facts made public by the ombudsman. Based on the commission’s findings, all materials are to be handed over to law enforcement agencies.

“The command of Operational Command ‘West’ emphasizes that it consistently adheres to a principle of zero tolerance for any violations of human rights, official negligence, or abuse of authority by leadership or servicemen of the TCRSC,” the statement said.

EMPR