Man detained after clash with draft officers in Lviv sent to pre-trial custody
A court in Lviv has ordered pre-trial detention for 23-year-old Oleh Havrylov, who is suspected of attacking a police officer during a confrontation between locals and military draft officers on the evening of July 8, according to Slidstvo.Info and Suspilne Lviv.
Havrylov was detained the day before. Prosecutors described him as “one of the active participants” in the unrest that broke out in Lviv during mobilization notification measures on the evening of July 8.
According to investigators, the suspect used pepper spray against police officers and also caused bodily injuries to the deputy head of one of Lviv’s district police departments.
During the July 10 hearing, defense lawyer Olha Huk said her client had suffered injuries during the arrest. She asked the court to place him under house arrest and said he admits guilt and is remorseful.
The prosecutor rejected those claims and said Havrylov had refused to testify. He asked the court to place the suspect in custody for 60 days without bail.
Havrylov told the court that he serves as a soldier in the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, which he said he had left without authorization in February of this year.
After a break in the proceedings, the court ordered Havrylov held in custody for 60 days without the right to post 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.
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