Authorities in Ukraine have launched inquiries into violent clashes in the western city of Lviv over the country’s military draft. The clashes, which occurred on Wednesday, involved a group of people blocking on-duty draft officers and overturning their car.

Wartime Tensions

The incident is the latest sign of wartime tensions over the call-up in the fifth year of the war with Russia. Ukraine’s General Staff strongly condemned the attack, but also said it would review the draft officers’ conduct for any potential violations.

Footage aired by Ukraine’s public broadcaster showed crowds swarming vehicles in a darkened residential neighborhood, chanting “Shame!” and tearing off the uniform of one of the officers. The incident has highlighted long-simmering anger over how the Ukrainian military is filling its ranks to fight a bigger and better-armed Russia.

Kyiv’s war effort has relied on a sweeping call-up that has been marred by reports of abuse and corruption, further dampening enthusiasm for service despite new efforts to entice Ukrainians to enlist. Last month, reports of harsh treatment and non-combat deaths in a prominent Ukrainian assault unit sparked public anger and calls for investigations.

Society Becoming Radicalized

Ukraine’s parliamentary commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, decried the violence but said it should not be seen as an isolated incident. “When people have been contacting the authorities for years, reporting possible violations of their rights … but do not see a proper legal assessment of such facts, this inevitably creates even greater problems,” he wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

“Mistrust accumulates, tension grows, and society becomes radicalized.” Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has pledged to reform the draft but has yet to unveil the details, a politically sensitive issue in war-weary Ukraine.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.