Attack on TCC vehicle in Odessa: three draft-age men fled, criminal case opened

On May 5, unknown individuals attacked a service vehicle belonging to the territorial recruitment center in Odessa that was transporting draft-age men to a mobilization center.

This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Odessa Regional TCC and SP.

The incident occurred while people were being transported to undergo a military medical commission. Two civilian vehicles blocked the service vehicle, after which a group of unidentified individuals smashed the car’s windows and sprayed an irritant gas inside the cabin.

The Odessa Regional TCC stated that such actions posed a real threat to the life and health of the accompanying servicemembers and the individuals inside the vehicle. According to a preliminary assessment, the attack may have been planned in advance, and its likely purpose was to facilitate evasion of military duty. During the incident, three draft-age men took advantage of the situation and fled.

The TCC warned that such actions could be classified as deliberate obstruction of the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The agency initiated a referral to law enforcement. “All participants in the incident will be identified and their actions will be classified in accordance with current Ukrainian legislation,” the TCC stated.

The Odessa incident occurred against the backdrop of increasingly frequent attacks on TCC personnel across Ukraine. According to the National Police, more than 600 such cases have been recorded since the start of the full-scale war, and the number continues to grow.

On April 18, in Yavoriv in the Lviv region, several individuals broke into a center’s premises and attempted to attack military personnel — some of them were detained. On April 23, in Bukovyna, a man armed with a knife and a wrench attacked TCC employees and was detained and taken into custody. On April 29, in the village of Verba in the Rivne region, an armed man opened fire on members of a notification group and a police officer during a document check — the shooting resulted in injuries, and the attacker has been placed on a wanted list.