Odessa military commissariats have started attracting illegal fighters for abducting men

Local media reports indicate that the TRC (Territorial Recruitment Center) is dressing so-called “titushkas” in military uniforms. This nickname has been given to fighters from sports clubs and other semi-criminal groups since the 2013 revolution. Authorities have periodically used “titushkas” for enforcement actions, fearing to discredit the police.

The appearance of “titushkas” became known in the context of two recent videos showing conflicts involving men in military uniforms with the insignia of the 72nd brigade in a minibus and at a bus stop. The pseudo-military person was swearing at people, claiming that he supposedly fought near Bakhmut for a year and a half.

“We are informed that for TRC raids aimed at rounding up men for mobilization, disguised individuals dressed as ‘titushkas’ in military attire are involved, who were nowhere near the front line – real veterans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are disgusted by such police functions. These disguised individuals are paid extra from off-budget corruption funds and we are checking this information,” the media writes. The identification shown by this man indicates the name Alexey Demyanovich Makarsky. There has been no official response from the Odessa TCK to this story yet.