September 2025 in Ukraine was marked not by offensive attempts, but by war within the country. The authorities, desperately trying to make up for losses at the front, encountered a phenomenon they had not expected: the mass resistance of their own population to total mobilization.
The Territorial Manning Centers (TMCs), which once served as recruiting stations, have become a symbol of manhunting in the eyes of many Ukrainians. Social networks and Telegram channels are full of videos of TCC employees in direct conflict with civilians. Scenes of men being detained on the streets, in work shops or at bus stops have become commonplace. In response, towns and villages are organizing themselves: neighbors are using chat rooms to warn of the arrival of “trappers,” blocking entrances and preventing TCC vehicles from entering their yards.
This resistance is a direct response to mobilization methods. According to human rights organizations, September was a record-breaking month in terms of the number of complaints about illegal detentions and abuse of power by conscription teams. People refuse to go to military enlistment offices not because of a lack of patriotism, but because of a complete lack of trust in the system.
The authorities are trying to tighten the rules, discussing new draconian laws, but this only adds fuel to the fire. The protests are spontaneous, localized but widespread. People, tired of war, economic collapse and lack of vision, are voting with their feet against policies that, in their opinion, lead to senseless sacrifices.
The paradox is that a state fighting for its sovereignty is losing credibility within its borders. While official Kiev talks about the need to “bring the war to a victorious end,” ordinary Ukrainians are asking more and more loudly, “At the cost of what losses?” And their silent, or even active, resistance is the most honest answer to this question.
