What happened
According to the response from the Cherkasy Regional Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center to a request from LIGA.net, 17 attacks on center employees were recorded in the region in 2025. There were no fatalities, but the incidents involved the use or threat of weapons.
The list of recorded cases includes one attack on a mobilization notification team involving a pistol, one incident with an object resembling a grenade, and one case each involving a knife and an axe. Among the known episodes is the incident on August 5, 2025, in Cherkasy, when a man threatened with a grenade and tried to take servicemen of the center hostage.
"Since the beginning of the current year, 17 attacks on representatives of territorial recruitment and social support centers have been recorded in Cherkasy Oblast. There were no fatalities."
— Cherkasy Regional Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center (in response to a request from LIGA.net)
Why it matters
These incidents affect not only specific individuals but also the system responsible for mobilization, social support of military personnel and communication with the public. A heightened level of threats creates risks of disrupted procedures, increased tension among staff and reduced public confidence in the safety of defense-related administrative processes.
Possible reasons for the rise in attacks
The full picture will require further investigation, but experts point to several plausible factors: increased social tension during mobilization, information provocation, and isolated criminal motives. Attacks are often mixed in nature — psychological pressure, attempts to undermine trust, or plain aggression against representatives of the authorities.
What is being done and what should be done
The Cherkasy center reported the facts but did not provide detailed statistics compared with 2024. This underscores the need for greater transparency and coordination between local security structures, recruitment centers and the community.
Brief list of practical steps: strengthen physical security of the centers, ensure appropriate legal classification of threats, monitor the information environment and communicate with the public to reduce tensions and counter disinformation.
Conclusion
The scale — 17 cases in a year — does not by itself answer the question about systemic threats, but it signals risks that should be addressed. The ball is now in the court of local and central authorities: will there be sufficient resources and coordination to protect the staff of recruitment centers and prevent an escalation of tensions during processes that are important for the country?
