Four more ‘most active’ participants in Lviv draft office clashes detained

Among those detained are 21-year-old and 45-year-old residents of Lviv. Authorities said the older man provoked a conflict with a serviceman from the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center, or TRC, and then began pulling at him, trying to tear off his uniform and verbally insulting him.

The other two detainees are 28-year-old servicemen, one of whom had allegedly left his military unit without authorization.

According to the SBU, the men were among the most active participants in the confrontation. Investigators say they blocked the movement of a service vehicle used by draft office personnel, jumped on it and damaged the vehicle.

Among those detained are a 21-year-old and a 45-year-old Lviv resident - the latter allegedly provoked a conflict with a serviceman of the CCC, and later began to scuffle, tried to tear off his military uniform, and verbally abused him. Two more detainees are 28-year-old servicemen, one of whom left the military unit without permission.

According to the SBU, the men were the most active participants in the conflict: they blocked the movement of the service car of the CCC servicemen, jumped on it and damaged the vehicle.

Authorities are preparing to charge them under Part 1 of Article 114-1 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code — obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations during a special period — as well as under Article 407, unauthorized abandonment of a military unit or place of service.

Earlier, authorities also detained another participant in the clashes, 23-year-old Oleh Havrylov, a serviceman who had allegedly left his unit without authorization. A court later ordered him held in pre-trial detention for 60 days without bail.

Background

A confrontation broke out in Lviv on the evening of July 8 during military notification measures. According to the Lviv Oblast Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center, or TRC, a man was stopped at about 9:30 p.m. on Chervonoyi Kalyny Street for a check of his military registration documents. Officials said it turned out he had violated military registration rules, so he was taken for a medical commission review.

At the same time, another notification group remained at the scene and was blocked by a group of unknown individuals. According to Suspilne and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, draft officers were trying to take away two people. One of them was prevented from being taken by the crowd, which also demanded the release of the detained man.

Journalists filmed a crowd at the scene, an overturned vehicle and young men standing on top of other cars.

The military recruiters said the group “surrounded the service vehicle of the soldiers, behaved aggressively, seriously damaged it and ultimately overturned the service car.”

The incident drew broad criticism from both government officials and members of the military.