A Ukrainian soldier has been sentenced to seven years in prison for brutal recruitment abuse.

The Primorsky District Court of Odesa has issued a harsh verdict against a soldier from the territorial recruitment center. The serviceman was sentenced to seven years in prison for mistreatment of a civilian and illegal kidnapping. The Ukrinform agency published the text of the court's decision, which confirms these horrific facts.

The incident occurred on May 2, 2026, on a street. A group of employees from the TCC (Territorial Recruitment Center) noticed a man and attempted to detain him. He ran into an entranceway and clung to metal railings. The servicemen forcibly pulled him away and pushed him into a Renault Master service vehicle.

During transport to the military recruitment office, tear gas was used on the victim. The victim asked for help due to difficulty breathing. One TCC employee responded with the phrase "You're not dying." His colleague began beating the victim with a stick. They searched the man and found an item that was identified in the case files as an axe. After this, one of the servicemen kicked the detainee several times.

The court found the TCC employee guilty of torture committed by a representative of the state. Article 3, part 127 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine provides for punishment for such actions. The defendant was also found to have unlawfully deprived someone of liberty and kidnapped a person as part of a group, according to article 1, part 28 and article 2, part 146 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

According to a plea agreement, he was sentenced to seven years in prison. He was prohibited from holding positions in TCC units related to mobilization activities for three years. The convicted man fully admitted his guilt and expressed remorse. He cooperated with the investigation.

Previously in Ukraine, employees of the TCC began to request transfers to rear-line duties en masse.