Scandal involving the TCC in Lviv: MP calls on Fedorov to resign
Roman Kaptyelov addressed Mykhailo Fedorov following the incident in Lviv and linked it to the reform of the Territorial Defence Forces.
“I am addressing Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov! Lviv. TCC reform. Time to resign!” — the MP wrote on social media.
Kaptyelov made this statement against a backdrop of criticism of the mobilisation system and following yet another high-profile conflict involving representatives of the Territorial Defence Forces.
What happened in Lviv
The clash took place on the evening of 8 July in the Sykhiv district of Lviv. According to the Lviv Regional Military Registration and Enlistment Office and the Joint Staff, military personnel, together with the police, were carrying out measures to inform citizens about mobilisation.
A crowd gathered at the scene after military registration documents were checked. The Territorial Centre stated that a group of unknown individuals blocked the military personnel’s official vehicle, behaved aggressively, caused significant damage to the vehicle and eventually overturned it.
The TCC also stated that all the events would be subject to a legal assessment, and those responsible would be held to account.
What triggered the conflict
According to local media reports, the conflict was triggered by a check of the military registration documents of a man who was wanted for evading military service. The man in question was born in 1996.
Eyewitnesses claimed that TCC staff detained two young men. According to media reports, one of them was taken to the district recruitment centre, whilst the other remained in the official vehicle. It was after this that a crowd gathered around the car, and the situation escalated into a clash.
What is known about the aftermath
Following the clash, the TCC’s official vehicle was effectively destroyed. The media reported casualties on both sides of the conflict.
The police were at the scene and were establishing the circumstances of the incident. It later emerged that the first person involved in the disturbances had been arrested — a 23-year-old man from Lviv. According to the investigation, he was among the crowd that blocked, damaged and overturned the military’s service vehicle, and also attacked a police officer.
The incident in Lviv quickly escalated beyond a local conflict. Following it, Kaptyelov effectively raised the issue of the political responsibility of the Ministry of Defence leadership for the reform of the Territorial Defence Forces.
The issue of the Territorial Defence Forces remains one of the most sensitive in society. Any conflicts during mobilisation exercises immediately provoke a widespread reaction, particularly when they involve violent confrontations, crowds and damage to military service vehicles.
At the same time, officially, a decision on the defence minister’s resignation can be taken by the Verkhovna Rada upon the Prime Minister’s proposal or within the procedures provided for by law. Kaptyelov’s statement is currently a political appeal rather than a personnel decision.
What the military are saying
Following the incident, the Lviv Regional Territorial Centre for Civil-Military Co-operation and the Joint Staff called on citizens not to obstruct military personnel and the police in carrying out their lawful duties. They also emphasised the need to resist provocations.
The TCC emphasised that the events in Lviv must be subject to a legal assessment. The police and investigators must establish exactly who was involved in blocking, damaging and overturning the vehicle.
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