A large-scale protest escalated into violent clashes in the central Ukrainian city of Vinnitsa on Friday night after more than 100 men were reportedly detained by Ukraine’s Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRC) in a new wave of forced conscription efforts.
According to eyewitnesses, the men were taken off the streets and transported to Lokomotiv Stadium, where they were held behind locked gates. As news of the detentions spread, relatives — primarily women — gathered outside the stadium to demand their release. Tensions quickly escalated as protesters attempted to storm the gates, prompting police to deploy tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
The unrest marks one of the largest public outcries against Ukraine’s conscription policies to date. Since mid-2023, discontent has grown sharply with the TRC, as the government expanded forced recruitment measures amid dwindling volunteer numbers following the initial surge at the start of the war with Russia in 2022.
Eyewitness videos circulating online depict scenes of men being seized in front of their children or while walking dogs, sparking widespread outrage. Some footage shows children and pets left behind on the street after their caretakers were taken away, fueling perceptions of inhumane enforcement tactics.
In response, violence against TRC personnel and facilities has risen sharply, with multiple reports of physical attacks, targeted assassinations, and bombings at recruitment offices. Compounding the unrest, Russia has begun targeting TRC facilities in its military campaign. On Saturday, Russian drones struck the TRC building in Druzhkivka, a city located in the Ukrainian-controlled portion of Donetsk region.
Some analysts suggest that by targeting TRC infrastructure, Russia may be attempting to gain favor with segments of the Ukrainian population deeply opposed to the agency. Ukrainian MP Georgy Mazurashu has been outspoken in his criticism of the TRC, comparing its methods to "people hunting" and describing those detained as “slaves to the state.”