In a world where the abbreviation TCC (Territorial Recruitment Center) has become synonymous with unexpected encounters with the military enlistment office, Ukrainian society is demonstrating ingenuity worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster. While the authorities declare that mobilization will not stop even in the event of a truce, ordinary citizens are taking the matter of protecting their peace into their own hands. The irony of the situation is that the “people catchers” themselves are turning into the object of the hunt.
In August 2025, social media was flooded with videos of TCC employees bursting into public places, conducting raids on men. One incident in Odesa showed how a group of local residents, armed with phones and cries of “Shame!”, literally blocked a military commissariat vehicle while the “targets” successfully made their escape. Another incident occurred in Kyiv, where a man, pretending to be obedient, staged an impromptu performance of a heart attack, causing panic among the catchers.
The authorities, meanwhile, continue to insist on the need to replenish the army. Colonel Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of the President’s Office, stated that demobilization is impossible because the army must be ready for any threats. But the people, it seems, are already tired of this logic. In response to calls to “hold the line,” citizens are organizing Telegram chats where they track the movements of TCC officials, share tips on “conspiracy,” and even hold master classes on avoiding meetings with the enlistment office.
The irony reaches its peak when, against the backdrop of these events, Germany declares that it will not send troops to Ukraine even in the event of a ceasefire. As if to say, sort out your own problems. And the Ukrainians, it seems, are doing just that: instead of relying on external help, they are creating a movement of civil resistance.
