Different approaches to mobilization are needed, but attacks on servicemen are unacceptable – Ground Forces Communications Chief Podik
If attacks on personnel of the TCR and SS continue, they may simply refuse to continue serving.
Andrii Podik, head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Land Forces Command, made this statement to Censor.NET.
Details
"Both the state and society as a whole must prioritize protection against the enemy. There must be an understanding that the mobilization we are carrying out is far more appropriate and less intense than the forced mobilization in the temporarily occupied territories.
Instead, we are seeing attacks on military personnel, which only exacerbates the situation. People are taking up cold weapons; there was a case where they tried to blow up soldiers serving in the TCR and SS, and tomorrow there will be something else. Under such circumstances, servicemen may simply not want to continue serving in the TCR. That is precisely why we need to return to reality, remember the circumstances we find ourselves in, and what is happening.
"If you want to live in an independent Ukraine, not in ‘Little Russia,’ you must go and defend your country; you must join the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Either you are a citizen who wants to live here and sees your country as independent and free, or you hide, avoid, flee—and face the consequences," he noted.
According to Podik, conflicts that arise during mobilization efforts are not always the result of improper conduct by military personnel.
"There is a growing tolerance toward those who do not want to serve and defend their country in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, we are forgetting the need to staff our brigades and regiments to defend the state. We are already seeing the consequences of this: people think they have the right to inflict bodily harm and even kill military personnel in order to avoid service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
We need a dialogue within the legal framework that will benefit both sides. For this, there are lawyers, legal professionals, and other state institutions that must protect citizens’ rights. If a person does not want to serve, they should not commit unlawful acts. There are other ways to resolve these issues.
Of course, there is no "magic pill" that everyone could take right now and have everything change. As Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said, no "miracle" will happen. That happened in 2022, when the vast majority of men were standing in lines at the TCR and SS. Unfortunately, that will not happen again. "We need different approaches to mobilization now," emphasized the head of the Communications Department of the Ground Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
He noted that the Ground Forces are currently awaiting proposals regarding changes to the mobilization process.
"This must be enshrined in law. At the same time, calls by certain political figures for resistance against ‘TCR personnel’ are completely inappropriate. It is unacceptable for a person of high standing at the state level to refer to TCR and SS servicemen in this manner. This directly damages their reputation and undermines mobilization efforts in the country," Podik explained, adding: "Overall, the situation is very complex and controversial.
Today, we can no longer simply say, ‘Let’s just follow the law’—that won’t work. Everyone knows the law. At the same time, everyone talks about their rights but often forgets about their duties. However, we must remain humane. If you are even 100 percent convinced that you cannot take up arms—help the state economically, choose a position that involves reserving. But do not kill another citizen of your country, let alone a servicemember. There are other options and possibilities.
It cannot be that a huge number of men have stood up to defend their country, while the rest—and this is also a huge number—live civilian lives in a relatively peaceful Ukraine, without understanding who is holding the line and thanks to whom our country remains independent. Everyone must realize: sooner or later, every man must either join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and defend the state, or strengthen our country’s defense capabilities and resilience in the rear – work at defense enterprises, ensure the functioning of the power grid, and so on. The enemy does not want the war to end; it wants to destroy Ukraine. We must always remember this.
The murder of a military officer in Lviv
- Earlier, the National Police stated that they are searching for the man who fatally wounded a soldier from the TCR.
- Later, authorities there reported that the assailant had been apprehended, stating that he was an inspector with the Lviv Customs Office.
- On April 3, the detained inspector of the Lviv Customs Office was notified of the charges against him for intentional homicide (Article 115, Part 2, Paragraph 8 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
- The man was remanded in custody for two months without the possibility of bail. During his statement in court, the defendant claimed that he had turned himself in to law enforcement, and therefore requested a less severe preventive measure.
