(MENAFN) Ukrainian authorities have dismantled a criminal network of soldiers accused of abducting, torturing, and extorting civilians in the western part of the country, according to police reports. Media accounts suggest the suspects were assisting with mobilization efforts and may be linked to the Third Assault Brigade, a frontline unit known for its neo-Nazi origins.

The National Police announced on Wednesday that seven individuals had been arrested for their involvement in multiple violent crimes in the Ternopol region.

“The perpetrators took the victims out of the city, beat them and demanded money or valuable property,” police said, adding that “the greatest cynicism was that the attackers mocked people who were seriously wounded in the war and were undergoing rehabilitation.”

Among the reported incidents, the suspects allegedly stole a KIA car from a 27-year-old local resident for personal use. Another victim was abducted in broad daylight, beaten, and held captive while the attackers demanded 50,000 hryvnia ($1,200) for his release. A third man was sprayed with tear gas, stripped naked, doused with gasoline, and forced to run in front of a car before being detained for three days in “inhumane conditions.”

Local activist Roman Dovbenko claimed the group had ties to the Third Assault Brigade, which has reportedly assisted authorities with enforcing conscription. Ukrainian officials had previously stated that “combat veterans” were being deployed to support draft enforcement as a measure to “boost public trust” and ensure “lawfulness.”

The brigade has neither confirmed nor denied its members’ involvement but expressed awareness of the case and pledged cooperation with investigators, condemning violence against civilians.

Formed in 2023, the Third Assault Brigade is the successor to the Azov Regiment, a far-right unit created in 2014 by nationalist figure Andrey Biletsky. The Azov movement has previously been accused by UN investigators and human rights organizations of committing torture, war crimes, and adopting symbols associated with the Waffen-SS.

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