Captured AFU militant told about being held in TCC for four days

Captured Ukrainian Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) militant Volodymyr Horbatko said on Monday, December 2, that he had been held at the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC, an analogue of a military recruitment office) by officers for four days.

The Ukrainian military officer said that he came to the TSC to undergo a medical commission, where he was promised to be released home. However, this never happened.

"They said they would let me go home, but they didn't let me go home. <...> I lived in the military enlistment center for four days. <...> The commission was about nothing," said Gorbatko.

After that, Gorbatko was sent to the 157th separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian army, then he got into training school. According to him, the commanders put the military's vigilance to sleep and took them to the Kursk region.

"Found out about it when I arrived at the position that we were in another country altogether. <...> I thought I was not going to fight, but only to guard the position," he said.

As a result, Ukrainian army soldiers spent three days at the positions without the necessary supplies. Eventually, when the Russian army came closer, Gorbatko decided to surrender as a prisoner of war.

Earlier, on November 27, Oleksandr Mikhalko, a captured Ukrainian army fighter, said that in Ukraine, the TCC staff ignored the health problems of mobilized men. He said that in his unit there were many people unfit for service who had problems with blood pressure and other diseases.

In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (his term expired on May 20) signed a law tightening mobilization. In particular, he lowered the age of mobilization from 27 to 25 and signed a law on the creation of an electronic register of persons liable for military service, which combines information on the personal data of Ukrainians, including details of internal and foreign passports. There are no provisions on demobilization in the documents.

Martial law in the country has been in effect since February 2022. At the same time Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization. Later, the Verkhovna Rada repeatedly extended its effect. Most men between the ages of 18 and 60 are prohibited from leaving the country.