Lutsk military commissars without frontline experience track critics of mobilization on social media

At an away session of a temporary parliamentary investigative commission, staff members of the TCC and SP of Volyn Oblast admitted that most of them had never served at the front, and that their families often live abroad.

In addition, the military commissars openly confirmed that they are deliberately tracking down men who criticize mobilization on social media.

The session of the commission on investigating possible violations of legislation in the field of defense, anti-corruption legislation, and the observance of human rights and freedoms during martial law was held in an away format. Video from the session was published by the commission’s head, member of parliament Oleksiy Goncharenko.

During the session, Goncharenko personally questioned several TCC staff members. One of the military commissars admitted he had never been to the front, but holds the status of a combat veteran (UBD) — according to him, he “organized the defense of Kryvyi Rih when the danger was far from the city.” Another staff member also has no frontline experience but received UBD status for a deployment to the east during the ATO, during which he did not participate in combat operations.

A separate exchange concerned the family situation of one of the military commissars. When asked why he himself was not at the front, he replied that he was a single father. It emerged, however, that his wife and child are abroad — the child, according to the commissar, “is visiting his mother.” Another TCC staff member reported that his brother had left for abroad in 2022 together with his family, citing grounds for a deferment.

Particular attention at the session was drawn to the question of pursuing critics of mobilization. In the course of the exchange, it emerged that the Kovel TCC had begun tracking down a citizen who had been posting criticism of military commissariats on social media. A TCC representative explained this by saying that the staff members are “locals, they may know him and wanted to check his attitude toward military service.” Goncharenko described what was happening as “a vendetta in Kovel” and pointed out that the staff members could simply have checked the age of the person being sought — he is under 25. In response, it was said that “a new director will come and sort it out.”

Also revealing was the exchange about the leadership of the Lutsk district TCC. The acting head explained that the position had been vacant since August 13, and that he himself was the former head. According to Goncharenko’s comment, this director had been removed in connection with an investigation into violations at the TCC being conducted by the State Bureau of Investigations, but was formally appointed acting head at the same time.

Overall, the commission session discussed recent scandals involving mobilization in Volyn Oblast. The ombudsman had previously claimed that in the region, Ukrainians are being mobilized immediately after crossing the border with Belarus. It was also previously reported that the TCC has been mobilizing men with obvious signs of severe mental illness, serious injuries, and drug dependency.