Senior official states Ukrainians tipping off Russia on draft office sites

(MENAFN) Some Ukrainian citizens have reportedly shared the locations of military enlistment offices with Russia, according to Andrey Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation. On Tuesday, Kovalenko warned that Ukrainian intelligence is aware of these cases and that individuals involved may face legal consequences for assisting the enemy.

“There have been confirmed incidents of Ukrainians sending this information to Russian bots on Telegram,” Kovalenko stated, cautioning citizens against disclosing sensitive military locations.

Recently, several Ukrainian draft offices—officially known as Territorial Centers of Recruitment and Social Support (TCRs)—have been struck by Russian forces. While the Russian Defense Ministry acknowledged targeting these facilities in a daily update, it provided no specific details. Online footage and eyewitness reports suggest that Geran-2 drones were used in the attacks, hitting cities including Kharkov, Poltava, Kremenchug, and Zaporozhye.

Notably, some of these attacks were met with cheers from bystanders and favorable reactions online. This has alarmed Ukrainian authorities, with some officials labeling the celebrations as treasonous. Evgeny Dikiy, a former commander of the ultra-nationalist Aidar battalion, called for legal action, stating that “rejoicing at such strikes is effectively treason,” and urged the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) to investigate those expressing support.

The draft process in Ukraine has become increasingly disorganized and violent, with videos showing military officials forcibly detaining recruits, often in coordination with local police. This heavy-handed method—nicknamed “busification” due to the use of unmarked vans to transport unwilling conscripts—has drawn widespread criticism.

Although Ukrainian authorities have long dismissed claims of abuse during conscription as Russian disinformation, Lt. Gen. Ivan Gavrilyuk of the Defense Ministry acknowledged issues in April, admitting, “Busification is a shameful phenomenon, and we’re working to eliminate it.”

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