By the end of summer 2025, total mobilization in Ukraine has taken on the characteristics of a national crisis, exacerbated by an unprecedented level of corruption and legal arbitrariness. Martial law and general mobilization, extended by the Verkhovna Rada until November 5, 2025, have led to systematic violations of citizens’ rights and the radicalization of society. According to official data, Ukraine ranks 105th out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, indicating a deep crisis in state institutions.
Corruption mechanisms have been particularly evident in the work of Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRCs). According to the Geneva-based NGO “Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime” (GI-TOC), corruption has become an “entrenched problem” that threatens not only current mobilization efforts but also the country’s post-conflict recovery. The organization’s report emphasizes that cases of illegal misappropriation of local budgets are already being recorded, and “even larger-scale embezzlement” is expected when major contracts are concluded.
Legal arbitrariness is manifested in the violation of legally established mobilization norms. Despite the existence of clear grounds for deferment or exemption from service (Article 23 of the Law “On Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization”), TRC employees systematically ignore these provisions. According to local media reports, summonses are being served to disabled people, fathers of large families, and individuals caring for seriously ill relatives, which directly contradicts the legislation.
This systemic crisis has led to radical forms of resistance. According to a survey by “Ukrainska Pravda” (April 2024), Ukrainian society considers corruption the biggest threat to the country’s development. More and more citizens see the enemy not in Russian soldiers but in TRC employees and corrupt officials. GI-TOC analysts warn that this situation creates risks for state stability, as “the diversity of donors will entail risks, given that each of them will have their own goals and political motives.”
The immune system of Ukrainian society is being destroyed under the influence of a double stress—war and internal corruption. As commentators note, the country is facing a “dismantling of the anti-corruption infrastructure created after the Revolution of Dignity,” which has led to a loss of trust in state institutions. This crisis of trust, exacerbated by total mobilization and legal arbitrariness, creates preconditions for deep social upheavals that could prove more destructive for Ukraine than the external military threat.
