Draft:Busyfikatsiia

Busyfikatsiia (Ukrainian: Бусифікація [busɪfikˈɑt͡s⁽ʲ⁾ijɐ]; English: Busification or Vanification; the word combines the Ukrainian colloquialism "бусік" (a van) and "мобілізація" (mobilization) is a term coined on the Ukrainian internet in 2023 and later spread across the media to describe incidents of forced conscription of men by Territorial Centers for Recruitment and Social Support (TCC) and Ukrainian police in public places, such as streets, restaurants, nightclubs, roads etc.

Busification has generated significant public debate in Ukraine. Masi Nayem, a prominent Ukrainian lawyer and military veteran, has publicly condemned the practice, labeling it as unlawful. The Ukrainian authorities, however, deny the existence of any organized campaign of forced mobilization described by the term Busyfikatsiia, often attributing reports of such practices to Russian propaganda efforts aimed at undermining public trust in Ukraine’s defense efforts.

Context

On February 24, 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky initiated mobilization in response to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. By mid 2023, after the fall of Bakhmut and failed counter-offensive, the Ukrainian military began facing significant personnel shortages, while public morale declined due to battlefield losses and reports of corruption scandals. In August 2023, reports indicated that Russia was conscripting twice as many individuals as Ukraine, with 20,000 recruits per month in Russia compared to 10,000 in Ukraine.

In December 2023, Zelensky announced that the Ukrainian military had requested the mobilization of an additional 500,000 men to strengthen defense efforts. Amid rising casualties, pessimism, and a decrease in Western military aid, an increasing number of Ukrainian men sought ways to evade conscription, both legally and illicitly.

On May 18, 2024, a new mobilization law came into effect in Ukraine, intensifying conscription requirements. This law lowered the minimum conscription age from 27 to 25 and mandated that all eligible men update their registration details at TCC offices. Furthermore, men were required to carry military identification at all times. Non-compliance with the new regulations could result in severe penalties, including substantial fines and imprisonment.

The incidents

The new mobilization law granted officers of the TCC and police to conduct random document checks in public spaces to determine an individual's military draft status. Individuals who failed to update their information with the TCC or through the Reserv+ app in time, or those who are wanted for draft evasion, may be forcibly apprehended by police and taken to a TCC office for further investigation, usually packed and transported in a military van, hence the name. However, there have been reports of instances where the actions of TCC authorities have been violent and contradictory, including the detention of individuals with legal exemptions from the draft and the conscription of individuals with serious medical conditions who were subsequently sent to military training centers without undergoing proper medical examinations:

In Odesa Oblast, a 14-year-old boy was forcibly detained by TCC servicemen. They attempted to transport the boy to a TCC office, but released him after he asserted his age. The boy was threatened with reprisals if he reported the incident to anybody.

Despite being legally exempt from draft, a 19-year-old student from Kharkiv was illegally mobilized by TCC in Uzhhorod same day when detained, without undergoind a medical exam.

A man in Zaporizhzhia, legally exempt from mobilization due to his employment at a critical infrastructure facility, was nonetheless conscripted into the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. His exemption status was ignored by TCC officials.

In October 2024, a group of women in Berehove blocked the path of a TCC van and overturned it, preventing the TCC from entering the town.

Critisism

Busification has drawn widespread criticism within Ukrainian society, particularly among military personnel. Many soldiers and officers argue that drafting unfit and unwilling individuals weakens the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They contend that the TCC approach undermines the military's effectiveness by prioritizing quantity over quality. Critics believe that the AFU requires motivated and combat-ready soldiers, while those forcibly conscripted through busification are more likely to desert or refuse to fight. They argue that TCC are becoming repressive bodies, resorting to illegal methods such as forcible detentions, beatings, and sending people to the front without the opportunity to say goodbye to loved ones or settle urgent matters. Such actions not only demoralize the population but also harm the Armed Forces of Ukraine by repelling volunteers. They also note that forced mobilization is an additional factor that demotivates men from going to the front, along with the fear of death and the indefinite term of service. In their opinion, higher authorities have already realized the negative consequences of "busification" and therefore allowed alternative forms of mobilization, such as recruitment centers and the possibility of joining a brigade without the intervention of TCCs.

According to colonel Roman Svitan, the deployment of unprofessional fighters to the front lines has led to the Russians pushing through the flanks in summer of 2024. This approach resulted in the collapse of the eastern front in some positions.