Three years ago, these young men from Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions were studying in Ukrainian schools and universities, or were starting to build a career in Ukraine. Some of them were FC Dynamo Kyiv fans, and some had fathers fighting against Russia in the east of the country. They all met the full-scale invasion in the territories that are now occupied. In November 2024, they found themselves on the parade ground of the military office in Simferopol, listening to the drill commands together with young people from Crimea, whom Russian propaganda had been preparing to serve in the Russian army since 2014. Now they are all Russian servicemen.
The Suspilne investigative editorial office has identified 22 young men from the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea featured in propagandists’ photos and videos taken near the military office in Simferopol. Who are they, how did they become conscripts in the enemy army, and what can await them there? The answers to these questions are in this article.
First training for conscripts
On November 16, 2024, young men from Crimea and temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions were gathered on the parade ground of the so-called "republican military office" in Simferopol. Propagandists solemnly declared that this was a "historical moment". They said that for the first time, conscripts from "new" territories (two Ukrainian regions occupied in 2022) would serve in the Russian army.
Young men from the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions were standing next to Crimean residents who have been drafted into the Russian army for the tenth year. The footage shows them following the commands of the Crimean occupation military commissar Yevgeny Mashukov and his subordinate Sergey Davidenko. They are supposedly being sent to take the initial training course and then serve in military units of the Black Sea Fleet and the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation.
Collaborators who head occupied regions commented the propaganda videos from the Crimean military office. "Today I am very happy and on behalf of all Zaporizhzhia residents I congratulate our first recruits who have joined the army," said traitor to Ukraine, the "governor" of the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region, Yevhen Balytskyi.
The occupation "governor" of Kherson region, Volodymyr Saldo, said similar words. However, in 2022-2023, both promised that the residents of the temporarily occupied territories would not be subject to conscription into the Russian army.
The first draft into the Russian army in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, which Russia illegally annexed in 2022, took place in 2023. The draft involved young men aged 18 to 27. In the autumn of 2024, in accordance with the decree of the Kremlin head, Vladimir Putin, the draft involved "citizens of the Russian Federation aged 18 to 30".
In total, according to Putin’s decree, 133 thousand people were to be conscripted across the entire territory of Russia by December 31, 2024. Russian propagandists stated that they planned to receive two thousand conscripts from Crimea by December 31, 2024. There were no reports on the number of conscripts from the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
The Suspilne investigative editorial office has identified 22 young men from photos and videos taken by propagandists near the occupation military office in Crimea, and examined their biographies to understand whether they could voluntarily agree to serve in the Russian army. In some cases, we found evidence of collaboration, participation in Russian patriotic events and organizations.
However, we have doubts regarding voluntary conscription of many identified people. We tried to call them or their relatives and tried to contact them in messengers. We asked whether they had volunteered for the military service. We also asked similar questions to three conscripted residents of Crimea.
They all ignored our questions.
We will not reveal the names of all those identified, because we understand that some may have joined the Russian army against their will. However, we will tell you about those who have openly and for a long time demonstrated support for the occupiers.
Policeman-traitor from Tokmak
The videos of one of the propaganda TV channels featured 27-year-old senior lieutenant of the Ukrainian police from the town of Tokmak, Ivan Stepanenko. He was telling how proud he was to be a Russian soldier.
"Of course, pride. What can be better than the feeling of serving the homeland? The army is a new road in life; it provides a lot of opportunities," Ivan said to a propagandist from "Russia 1" federal channel.
Earlier, Stepanenko posted many photos on social media, demonstrating that he was a Ukrainian police officer.
Before the full-scale invasion, Stepanenko had been working in the Ukrainian law enforcement for seven years. From 2016 to 2020, he was a cadet at the Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs and for some time worked in parallel at the Main Directorate of the National Police in Zaporizhzhia region. Two years before the full-scale invasion, Stepanenko returned to Tokmak, where he became an investigator in the Inquiry Sector No. 3 of the Polohy Police Department.
He met the full-scale invasion in Tokmak, where he served as a Ukrainian police officer until the end of May 2022, when he was dismissed for violating the disciplinary statute of the National Police of Ukraine. Shortly after that, the Ukrainian law enforcement launched a criminal case suspecting Stepanenko of collaboration.
We managed to talk to a former colleague of Ivan Stepanenko from Tokmak. He recognized Stepanenko in a photo among conscripts in Crimea. We do not give his name for security reasons because his relatives remain in the temporarily occupied territories.
The man told us that Ivan had pro-Russian views and it could be the reason for working in the Tokmak occupation police. In addition, according to Stepanenko’s ex-colleague, Ivan allegedly encouraged his former colleagues to join him.
The Zaporizhzhia regional department of the Security Service of Ukraine is aware of Stepanenko’s collaboration with the Russians. In January 2024, the suspicion of collaboration was declared to him. According to the investigation, Stepanenko, having pro-Russian views, accepted an offer from unidentified representatives of the occupation authorities and, from July 1, 2022, held the position of investigator of the property crimes investigation department of the Tokmak occupation police investigation department.
The Zhovtnevyi District Court of Zaporizhzhia is currently considering his case. According to court decisions, in February 2024, Stepanenko was put on the state, interstate, and international wanted list.
To prove Ivan Stepanenko’s guilt, Zaporizhzhia law enforcement officers collected statements from several witnesses and conducted secret investigative actions. As it is known from the court ruling of June 2024, Stepanenko was hiding from the investigation and was in the territory of temporarily occupied Tokmak at least until November 2024, when he became a conscript in the Russian army and ended up in Crimea.
According to his former colleague, with whom we spoke, Stepanenko was probably forced to join the army, "When the orcs [Russians] came, they said that they did not like "rats" (traitors — Ed.), and everyone who wanted to work with them was sent to the army."
We did not manage to ask Ivan why he had betrayed the country and had broken his police oath. He deleted his social media accounts and changed his mobile phone numbers.
What the social media of the conscripts from the temporarily occupied territories tell
Most of men, who were on the parade ground of the Crimean occupation military office in November 2024, were 8-15 years old in 2014. Their views were shaped by their environment. According to our observations, those who got under occupation in Crimea as children now identify themselves as Russians.
We examined the social media pages of the young men and their families from the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea to find out how these people might have been influenced by the Russian propaganda. However, since we were unable to speak with them, we will not disclose their names, as we have doubts about their motivation to serve in the enemy army.
Mykola (the name has been changed for security reasons) is a resident of a small town occupied in 2022. His father fought against the Russians in eastern Ukraine from at least 2016. We did not manage to establish contact with Mykola or his family.
Another man from the temporarily occupied territories is Bohdan (the name has been changed for security reasons). He is a Dynamo Kyiv football fan, he used to run social media in the Ukrainian language, but now he has closed all his accounts.
Dmytro (the name has been changed for security reasons) graduated from vocational school before the full-scale invasion and was expressing a pro-Ukrainian position on the social media from 2014. He ignored our questions about how he ended up in the Russian army.
On the social media of these and other identified young men, we saw photos from holidays in Ukrainian schools, from family celebrations, and photos showing their former peaceful life.
At the same time, we also found those residents of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions who, judging by the social media, support Russia’s actions and during the years of the great war moved to Crimea, enrolled in Russian educational institutions, and are now being photographed in barracks wearing Russian military uniforms.
One of the men from the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia region, 20-year-old Oleksii, entered the Engineering and Technical Academy in Taganrog during the occupation. In his communication with us, he expressed pro-Russian views and insulted Ukraine, which allowed us to assume that he became a conscript voluntarily. Therefore, we give his name and show his face.
Another man from the occupied territories in Kherson region moved to Crimea last year and was building a career there. Now he is in the photo with his wife in the Russian military uniform.
The way Russian propaganda works with young people is clearly visible in the example of residents of Crimea who recently entered military service in the Russian army. "When I joined the army, I already clearly realized what awaited me. This is a new experience, new communication, and new acquaintances. My grandfather, who is a retired colonel of the Russian army, said, "Grandson, everyone has to serve." Dad also took it calmly. Mom was a little worried, but she calmed down and said that everything was fine," 22-year-old Oleksii Tanichev from Feodosia said to the propagandist of the "Crimea 24" channel.
From childhood, Oleksii, together with his mother Natalia Tanicheva, who was born in Feodosia, participated in various events and celebrations of Russian national holidays, some of which, as it is typical for Russia, were combined with military themes. Oleksii was also a member of the Russian DOSAAF — the Volunteer Society for the Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy. This organization, in particular, is engaged in military-patriotic education of young people. Its partners are the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the "United Russia" political party.
We asked Oleksii’s mother whether her son had joined the Russian army of his own free will. She deleted the message and blocked us on Telegram.
We also found photos of other young men from Crimea, in which they were wearing Russian military uniforms participating in various events and rallies. Now, after several years of Russian patriotic upbringing, they have become soldiers in the Russian army.
Russia is actively encouraging the local population to serve in the army. It is especially aimed at young people, says Roman (the name has been changed for security reasons), a resident of Zaporizhzhia region, who left the occupied territory in the autumn of 2024:
"The Russians are brainwashing people: TV, salary, advertising posters, and so on. They are everywhere; propaganda starts at school. "Conversations about important things" (a course of lessons in Russian schools — Ed.), patriotic instructions. It is in schools, colleges, technical schools. During the first year, I think, some people resisted this, and then they accepted everything."
In June 2024, the international "Human Rights Watch" reported numerous violations by Russia of the international law regarding the right of children to education in the temporarily occupied territories.
"According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, children must be guaranteed the right to education that fosters respect for their "own cultural identity, language and values", as well as for the "national values" of the child’s country of origin," the organization’s report says. Instead, Russia implements Russification of children and conducts military training as part of the school curriculum.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported that the Russian occupation authorities require from secondary schools and universities in the occupied territories to provide lists of people whom they consider suitable for conscription into the Russian armed forces.
"No one wanted to serve; no one needs this"
In their Telegram channels, so-called governors Yevhen Balytskyi and Volodymyr Saldo stated that men would be notified of their conscription by paper summons, which would be delivered by registered mail. The military service will supposedly last 12 months.
In addition, both heads of the occupation administrations promised that conscripts from the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions would not be sent to the "zone of the Special Military Operation" (this is how Russian propagandists call the war against Ukraine).
However, the Russian Ministry of Defense makes such promises every year, and then breaks them. The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has repeatedly reported that Russia is involving conscripts in the war in the territory of Ukraine. In addition, the Russian Federation used conscripts in battles in Kursk region.
The Suspilne investigative editorial office spoke with two men who managed to leave the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia region. Ivan (the name has been changed for security reasons) left the occupation in the spring of 2024. According to him, even at that time the military enlistment offices were preparing for conscription.
"Before I left, they were collecting information about men at workplaces, were making records for their military enlistment office. No one wanted to serve; no one needs this, not even the pro-Russians. Only desperate people without money who think they can survive everything agree. When they started to push the military enlistment at work in the spring, I and two other young men left. Everyone was on the alert because they could announce mobilization or something like that at any moment," says Ivan.
Roman (the name has been changed for security reasons) lived in the occupied town in Zaporizhzhia region until November 2024. He says he left because he wanted to save his life and avoid draft into the Russian army.
"I did not receive a summons. However, they can send it to work, to the director and so on. The military enlistment office receives data if a person is officially employed. They now require official employment. It is impossible to work unofficially. That is, they collect information about everyone," says Roman.
He says it is difficult to avoid conscription, as any man can be detained on the street and drafted into the Russian army. He says many men go into hiding because of this.
"You have to constantly hide or take some roundabout ways. My classmate just stays at home. He has not applied for a (Russian — Ed.) passport, his mother works, and he stays at home hiding," the man says.
According to Roman, several of his acquaintances were drafted into the Russian army and are undergoing training in Crimea, "People whom I know were drafted forcibly, no one volunteered. However, it seems some people do it voluntarily. Maybe some are motivated by payments because people do not have money and go to serve. Some are pro-Russian. However, it is impossible to find out what people really think. Everyone is afraid to be betrayed. Then they [Russians] will come with machine guns and will threaten or will take to the basement [torture chamber]."
Who organizes conscription in the occupied territories?
According to the order of Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, the commanders of military districts, military commissars, executive bodies, and local governments were to ensure the organization and conduct of the autumn draft.
In the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, the main persons responsible for conscription were the occupation heads of administrations Yevhen Balytskyi and Volodymyr Saldo, and military commissars.
According to the information from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities of Russia, in July 2023, the occupation "Military commissariat of Zaporizhzhia region" was organized in Melitopol. As of February 19, 2024, Dmitry Kuchabsky was the temporary acting occupation military commissar of the region. There is no other information about the leadership of this military commissariat in Russian registers, as access to the data was restricted in February 2024.
Dmitry Kuchabsky is 47 years old; he was born in the town of Volochysk, Khmelnytskyi region, Ukraine. He is a lieutenant colonel in the Russian army. Before becoming the acting military commissar of the occupation commissariat of Zaporizhzhia region, he held a similar position in the Jewish autonomous region of the Russian Federation. Earlier, he was the deputy military commissar of Amur region and held other positions in the structures of the Russian army.
"RIA South" reported that under Kuchabsky’s leadership, in 2023, fake videos were filmed near the military office in Melitopol, the purpose of which was to show the influx of volunteers into the Russian army.
There is open information about the current occupation military commissar in the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson region in Russian registers. Since July 20, 2023, this position has been held by Vadim Shurygin.
The KibOrg project found his biography. Shurygin is 50 years old. He is a native of Samara and holds the rank of colonel in the Russian army. From 1995, he was the commander of an assault platoon, then of a company of the 810th separate marine brigade of the Black Sea Fleet. In 2014, Shurygin participated in the occupation of Crimea, he fought in Syria in 2019, and then he became the deputy occupation military commissar of Sevastopol.
In addition, according to the KibOrg project, Shurygin is a member of the conscription commission of the occupied part of Kherson region. For more information about other representatives of the commission appointed by Volodymyr Saldo in 2023, see the link.
The occupation administration of Kherson region, unlike in Zaporizhzhia region, made public the names of the military commissars of all settlements and the contacts of each commissariat.
These military commissars are the main executors of Putin’s and Belousov’s orders in the temporarily occupied territories and should, in our opinion, be punished for carrying out forced mobilization.
Conscription of the residents of temporarily occupied territories is a crime against humanity
Andrii Yakovlev, a lawyer and expert at the non-governmental organization "Media Initiative for Human Rights", believes that the Russians have consciously abandoned the obligations of Article 51 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and, contrary to it, are forcing residents of the temporarily occupied territories to join their army.
Yakovlev assumes that the Russians want to replenish their army with people from the temporarily occupied territories, making it with as few risks as possible for their government. "It seems they have a forced necessity, and it shows that the Russians actually do not have that much strength and that they are ready to violate previously announced promises in order to continue the invasion with the aim of occupying Ukraine," he says.
According to the expert, on the one hand, Ukrainians forcibly conscripted into the Russian army are victims of a war crime, and on the other hand, they may contribute to the Russian aggression and commit collaboration crimes or high treason.
"When they (Ukrainians from the temporarily occupied territories — Ed.) were forcibly recruited into service, this was already a war crime against them. However, the other side is also important here. To what extent can the forced mobilization of a person, who receives a salary and has already been serving for a year or two, be considered forced? The question arises whether they committed acts of collaboration or treason in this way. In addition, if they did, then after what period of service in the army? The discussion around this issue is ongoing. Are these people victims of the crime of forced mobilization? Should they be charged with collaboration or treason? Therefore, the recommendations that human rights activists have developed are to consider them victims of war crimes, unless it is proven that they joined the army voluntarily. In this case, the latter may be accused of a crime against the foundations of national security, and if they participate in hostilities, this will affect the criminal liability.
Here, another problem arises. When mobilized people (who participate in the war against Ukraine — Ed.) are taken prisoner, they become prisoners of war. We believe that they were forcibly mobilized, but they are prisoners of war. In principle, we have the right to keep them throughout the war, until the end of hostilities," says Yakovlev.
In his opinion, it is important to emphasize that the service of Ukrainians in the Russian army is, first and foremost, a war crime on the part of the Russian Federation. However, Ukraine must act carefully: on the one hand, emphasize this, and on the other hand, determine the level of individual responsibility in each case so as not to increase the number of Russian supporters in the temporarily occupied territories. A state policy regarding this and a diversified approach to punishment must be developed, the expert states.
Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets explained in an interview with "RBC-Ukraine" in March 2023 that forcibly mobilized Ukrainians would not be considered traitors in case they surrender:
"A person must surrender on their own will. Only this way, we can understand that the person did not participate in armed aggression against our country. Otherwise, if a person with a machine gun was on the front line, it is quite difficult to establish the fact that he was forcibly mobilized and did not want to take part in this. We are now developing some options on how to do this. At least theoretically."
Ukrainian citizens who have been drafted into the Russian army will remain in the military units of the enemy country at least until the end of 2025. At some point, they, like all Russian conscripts, will be offered contract service or they may be involved in the war against Ukraine without a contract. As it was done, for example, with Russian conscripts in Kursk region.
The Human Rights Center "Zmina" has developed a step-by-step guide on what to do if a person is forcibly recruited into the Russian army. Cases of illegal recruitment of Ukrainian citizens into the Russian army must be reported to the National Information Bureau.