Ukraine's so-called mobilisation units are tracking suspected draft evaders amid an acute manpower crisis in the army. DW follows one such unit, witnessing the dilemmas and ethical questions raised during their mission.

Kyiv

Ukrainian mobilisation officers in Lviv are conducting daily street checks to identify men eligible for military service, as the country seeks to replenish its armed forces. Officers report that many men attempt to evade mobilisation, with some fleeing when approached, and note that public hostility toward these checks has increased, particularly in quieter western cities.

The work of these officers is further complicated by viral videos alleging violent detentions, ongoing investigations into abuse, and Russian disinformation campaigns amplifying criticism. Despite the challenges and risks, including the recent death of an officer, many locals acknowledge the necessity of the mobilisation efforts to maintain Ukraine's defense.

Inside Ukraine's search for suspected draft dodgers

A daily ritual here in Ukraine, a moment of silence for fallen soldiers. And then, on to the business of the day, looking for new ones. Serhii and Oleksandr work in Lviv as part of one of Ukraine's mobilisation units, the Tetsyka. We're from the Tetsyka, checking your military documents. They stop men on the street and check their papers, to see if they're exempted from mobilisation. They might have a job deemed essential, more than three kids, or a sick relative. But some are dodging the draft. So we've done some 20 checks like this one already in the last couple of hours. That looked pretty standard. The guy pulled out his phone, showed them the app, said he doesn't have to be mobilised. But in those last two hours, we've also come across two men who saw these uniformed officers and made a dash for it. It did seem like they didn't have the papers, but these officers were not able to verify that. We caught one of them on camera. Good afternoon. Get back in. Get back in. This is an example of a person running away. You can see it. The person is running away. We're not going to chase after him, but we would really like to talk to him. If he hadn't been there, the officers might have gone after them. Oleksandr is sure why the man ran. In most cases, about 90 per cent, they're simply afraid of mobilisation. It hurts me deeply. In the first days of the war, I went to defend the country. If we all run away, we will simply all be killed. But it's not just the war that is frightening. Videos of violent Tetzikar detentions regularly go viral on social media. As of June this year, authorities opened investigations into over 900 allegations of violence and abuse of power against Tetzikar officers. For the officers too, the checks can be risky. Oleksandr and Sergei's Russian disinformation campaigns deliberately amplify fear and criticism of the Tetzikar and hostility towards the officers, which they say the videos don't show. One of them was killed on the job earlier this month here in Lviv. Oleksandr and Sergei told us about a check the previous evening that could have gone wrong. They showed us footage from the body cams that new rules say they have to wear. No, guys, I'd rather go to prison, no question. Don't do something stupid. I won't give in, guys. Calm down. I won't give in. Calm down. They told us a crowd gathered around them, yelling to leave the man alone. A young woman comes up, she says, oh, you're my enemy now. She points to the police, you're my enemies. Now in Western Ukraine, in cities where it's quieter, they all say that their main enemies now are the Tetzikar and the police. And believe me, it's so offensive to hear this all the time. Western towns like Lviv do feel far from the war. Air alerts are relatively rare, as are power cuts. Tourists from other regions flock to the festive markets. But many here do think the Tetzikar's work is needed. I feel sorry, of course, for the men who are caught. It's a pity. But who's supposed to fight if the Tetzikar doesn't catch men? The military are people too, and people who serve are not perfect. Some people lose their temper. This creates hype, and it's multiplied by Russian and enemy bots. Like most Tetzikar officers, Serhii and Oleksandr are military men. Serhii was demobilized for health reasons, but Oleksandr has seen combat. They tell us the job is crushing because they are so disliked, that they know men who'd rather be in combat than serve in the Tetzikar. But they say Russia cannot be trusted to stop, and the frontline remains hungry for new soldiers.

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