Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense is preparing a reform of the Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRCs) while conducting inspections of several recruitment offices and reviewing all reported cases involving the confiscation of mobile phones and the humiliation of citizens.
Deputy Defense Minister Vasyl Shkurakov announced this during the government’s question hour in parliament, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
“Regarding the reform of the TRCs, this is a complex issue, and we are addressing it comprehensively, step by step. As for the issue of mobile phones, this is unacceptable. We are responding to these cases because they concern people’s lawful rights. We are reviewing every instance of phone confiscation or humiliation of citizens,” Shkurakov said.
According to him, the ministry has already ordered comprehensive inspections of the Mykolaiv and Odesa TRCs. He also said that work is ongoing at the Uman TRC and that its head, Nekrasov, has been reassigned to another position.
Shkurakov added that the Defense Ministry maintains separate registries of problematic cases, as well as appeals submitted by members of parliament and other organizations, to ensure they are processed promptly and effectively.
“The reform will take place. It is being prepared, and we expect to present it to the government in the near future,” he said.
As reported by Ukrinform, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said that criticism of the Defense Ministry’s leadership over problems related to the TRCs has been voiced by some politicians. However, he argued that it is unfair to place the blame on individual officials from the Defense Ministry, the Ground Forces, or the police, since the challenges surrounding mobilization are systemic and can only be resolved through broader transformation of the military.