Strict mobilisation continues across Ukraine with the latest event seeing men attending a concert by a popular rock band in Kyiv having their documents checked at the exit, resulting in some being detained.
Ukrainian music rock band Okean Elzy is highly popular among the public for its patriotic songs, which have been a symbol for anti-Russian protests for decades. However, one concert served as an opportunity for officers at Territorial Conscription Centres (TRCs) to start checking men for draft documents. They waited outside the concert hall, looking for men trying to evade military service in the country’s war with Russia. They asked the men to show draft documents and ended up detaining those who did not register.
Videos on social media showed one young man being dragged away from a concert hall by police officers, asking people for help, shouting “People, help me please!” Another video showed an officer in national police uniform pointing at another young man leaving the show, asking, “Wait, are we taking this one?”
On the other hand, the press service of the Kyiv military commissariat told a state-run Ukrainian agency that all law enforcement officers at the concert complied with the law, adding that such checks were regular. Meanwhile, the actions of the military enlistment officers and TRC caused a negative reaction among Ukrainians.
Even though concert tickets are highly valued, there was a sudden increase in the level of people simply giving up tickets and others refusing to go to the concert, according to The New York Times. Tickets for future Okean Elzy concerts instantly started appearing for sale on the Internet. One website, OLX, had dozens of adverts.
In addition to the country’s capital, similar document checks took place across the country at concerts and performances on Friday night, signalling a new phase in Ukraine’s attempts to enforce its bills. Cherkasy, Brovary, Dnipro and other large cities faced document checks at performances and concerts. In Kharkiv, the situation was somewhat different: a concert was cancelled after officers came to check the conscription status of the band members.
The third year in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia has seen the Armed Forces of Ukraine largely on the defensive, losing the onslaught of the outnumbered Russian army. The pressure has led to a tightening of mobilisation. Despite official claims that mobilisation measures have been successful, troops on the front lines complain that recruits are often old, poorly trained or suffering from health problems.
Some six million men eligible for military service have not updated their contact details and personal information at recruitment offices as required by law, according to lawmaker Oleksandr Fedienko, a member of the parliamentary committee on national security and defence. This situation comes as many men say they are afraid to serve on the notoriously dangerous war front
The decision to raid the concerts thus underlined a long-standing rift in Ukrainian society between young men who went to war and those who did not. Young men continue to attend cafes and restaurants as well as concerts. Many such events also raise money for the army, and some of the most reliable donors are people who are eligible to serve.
In addition, this mobilisation situation may be part of the disappointing results of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s tour to Europe, according to experts. After not receiving sufficient military aid and permission to strike Russian territories with long-range weapons, Ukraine was allegedly forced to replenish the ranks of its army with radical methods.
