The head of the communications group of the Poltava Regional Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support (TCC and SP), Roman Istomin, stated that comparing the mobilization processes of 2022 with those of 2025–2026 is inappropriate. He expressed this position while commenting on the words of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, regarding the alleged ‘systemic crisis’ in the activities of TCC and SP.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Changes in Mobilization Processes: Volunteers and Mandatory Mobilization
Roman Istomin emphasized that in 2022, most citizens approached the TCC with requests to be enlisted for military service, as volunteers predominated. “Mobilization during these years is two completely different processes; this needs to be understood. Essentially, all of 2022 consisted of volunteers, at least in the first phase – definitely. In the second half of the year, if they were not volunteers, people came with summonses and were conscripted through mobilization,” he noted.
According to Istomin, in 2025–2026, volunteers will go through the recruitment process, while mobilization has become compulsory and is no longer voluntary. “If we compare 2025–2026, then volunteers, if they exist, will go through recruitment. Mobilization is currently not voluntary – this needs to be understood. And comparing 2025 with 2022, in my opinion, is somewhat strange,” he added.
Security, Complaints, and TCC’s Response
Istomin also clarified the situation regarding the confiscation of mobile phones from those mobilized. He emphasized that there was no general instruction on this matter, but such a practice emerged after military personnel began posting videos and information about their location on social media. This created security risks, especially after drone strikes targeted TCC and SP in Poltava and Kremenchuk. As a result, the centers were relocated, and sharing their location was considered dangerous even for the military personnel.
“This started after citizens began openly posting videos even from the collection points, informing on social media where they were at that moment, which, to put it mildly, created an uncomfortable situation from a security perspective. Especially after drone strikes began targeting TCC and SP – we experienced this in Poltava and Kremenchuk. After that, TCC was relocated, and it would be somewhat inappropriate to allow even the military personnel to inform, including the enemy, about the exact location of TCC,” said Istomin.
He also urged not to generalize cases of violations based on individual complaints, citing an example of a report about an attorney’s injury. According to him, this is an isolated incident against the backdrop of hundreds of thousands of others.
Istomin emphasized the need not only to criticize but also to propose constructive solutions for improving the work of TCC. He stressed that it is important to have specific proposals for enhancing the efficiency of mobilization and military staffing.
It is worth noting that the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, reported a significant increase in the number of complaints regarding the activities of TCC and SP. If in 2022, the Ombudsman’s Office received 18 complaints about violations by TCC, in 2025, there were already 6,127, which is almost twice as many as in 2024. Among the most common complaints are restrictions on freedom and movement during detention, forced transportation to TCC, shortcomings in the work of military medical commissions, and violations in the consideration of deferments from mobilization.