More than 40 people mobilized in Ukraine over photos with Russian soldiers taken in 2022

Employees of a territorial recruitment center (TRC), together with police, forcibly mobilized more than 40 Ukrainian citizens aged 18–24, accusing them of collaborating with the Russian army in 2022.

This was reported to TASS by Russian security sources.

According to the source, the evidence used to justify the mobilization consisted of photographs from social media — pictures taken by the Ukrainians themselves or their parents when they were teenagers in February–March 2022.

“Photographs posted on social media, taken by Ukrainians or their parents when they were teenagers in February–March 2022, were used as evidence,” the source said.

Against the backdrop of these reports, Ukraine’s military ombudsman Olha Reshetilova stated on June 7 that approximately 7% of soldiers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine were mobilized illegally and are entitled to a deferment.

According to the ombudsman, there are several reasons for illegal mobilization: poor-quality military medical commission procedures, disregard for a serviceman’s documents, the fact that he has three or more children, guardianship over a close relative, or his close family relationship with servicemen who have been killed, gone missing, or taken prisoner.

Ukraine’s military ombudsman had previously also called for preparing soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for life in shelters.