Three Detained in Odesa for Impersonating Military Recruiters and Assault

Law enforcement officers detained three young men wearing military uniforms on the road near the city of Chornomorsk, Odesa region, who beat and pushed a local resident into their car, demanding documents.

According to the Main Directorate of the National Police in Odesa Oblast, three young men in military uniforms blocked the cyclist's path with their car, introduced themselves as employees of the territorial center for recruitment and social support, and demanded the 41-year-old man's documents. They accompanied their actions with beatings.

The victim managed to call the police and the attackers were detained. Law enforcement officers found out that the accomplices had nothing to do with the service in the Territorial Centers for Recruitment and Social Support, but were members of a local NGO that did not have the authority to carry out mobilization activities.

The police seized from the detainees the car in which they were holding the victim, a certificate of membership in the NGO and other material evidence of interest to the investigation. The offenders were residents of Odesa and Odesa district aged 22, 25 and 27.

The detainees were served a notice of suspicion of misappropriation of authority, combined with the commission of any socially dangerous acts committed by a group of persons (Article 353(1) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), as well as illegal deprivation of liberty committed by a group of persons, accompanied by infliction of physical suffering on the victim (Article 146(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). According to the sanctions of the articles, the defendants face up to five years in prison.

In July 2024, the Center for Public Investigations made the film "Guarding the Odesa C auldron" about civil society organizations. It combined three textual investigations about more than 30 civil society organizations, including the NGO Ukraine is a Mother:

• "Volunteers" for budgetary funds, bodyguards a la volunteers, and government-backed groups: who is behind Odesa's CFs
• Guardians of Odesa's rear: who is behind the civil society groups
• Guarding the Odesa "cauldron".

Already in September 2024, after an investigation by the CPR, prosecutors exposed the deputy head of the "Law Enforcement Assistance Unit" for corruption. He is suspected of helping to evade the mobilization of persons liable for military service.

Кирило Бойко