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Ukraine opened a criminal investigation on Thursday after crowds of people in the western city of Lviv surrounded and overturned an army conscription vehicle the night before.
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The incident drew a swift backlash from Ukrainian officials, some of whom called on citizens to direct their anger at Russia and not the army.
The unrest erupted after officers detained a man suspected of evading military service and took him to a draft centre, authorities said.
“An investigation has been launched into the circumstances of an incident that occurred in Lviv involving servicemen of the Ukrainian armed forces, police officers, and around 200 civilians,” Ukraine’s prosecution service said.
“Two criminal proceedings have now been initiated on the grounds of obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during a special period (martial law) and using violence against a law enforcement officer,” it added.
Videos published on social media showed crowds surrounding and attacking a vehicle in Lviv late Wednesday, shouting “shame” and filming with their phones.
A police officer who arrived to calm the crowd was later attacked, according to prosecutors.
Ukraine has seen a steady increase in clashes between citizens and army conscription police since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion, with authorities reporting over 100 such incidents this year alone.
The issue of mobilisation, mandatory military service for men aged 25 and over, is highly sensitive in Ukraine, with many divided over who should be called up and how.
The governor of the Lviv region condemned the violence, telling citizens “we have only one enemy,” while Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovy warned the incident could “instantly (become) a tool for hostile propaganda.”
“Russia today is most interested in getting Ukrainians to start fighting among themselves…All those who broke the law must be held accountable,” he said on Telegram.
Violence against recruitment officers was almost non-existent at the start of the war, but has proliferated in recent years as the fighting has dragged on and fatigue set in among the population.
Police reported just five cases of attacks against conscription officers in 2022, whereas the number last year totalled 341, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.
Ukraine’s defence minister announced more flexible army contracts for conscripts last month, amid public criticism over the current system of indefinite military service.
Kremlin hits back at US comments
Meanwhile, Russia hit out at the United States on Thursday for saying Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy sites could help end the war.
Ukraine has mounted a retaliatory strike campaign using long-range drones against Russian energy and military facilities, in what Kyiv calls fair retribution for Moscow’s drone and missile barrages on Ukrainian cities.
Asked about the strikes during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump appeared to endorse the campaign.
“It’s an escalation, but it’s also an escalation that can help lead to an end,” Trump said.
The Kremlin said Ukrainian military pressure would not force it into concessions.
“We see certain misconceptions within the White House administration, that by escalating military pressure it can help move to a peace settlement. That is a mistaken view,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“Further escalation may prolong the special military operation to some extent,” he said, using Russia’s preferred term for the offensive.
He also threatened that Moscow’s army would respond by “creating a larger security zone,” a reference to seizing more territory in eastern Ukraine.
“Stoking tensions and taking steps that fuel escalation will in no way contribute to the peace process,” Peskov added.
Kyiv’s attacks on Russian oil depots and refineries have triggered a fuel crisis across Russia, forcing Moscow, one of the world’s top oil producers, to ban some exports.
More than 90% of all Russian regions have introduced some form of rationing or reported shortages in petrol and diesel since June, according to official statements and local media reports.
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