Leader of volunteers helping Kiev’s draft effort found dead – media
A Ukrainian businessman, involved in the country’s controversial military draft enforcement, has been found dead near Odessa with gunshot wounds, local media reported on Sunday.
The victim, identified as car dealer Gennady Beybutyan by journalist Irina Grib, led a so-called volunteer group that worked closely with conscription officers in locating and apprehending potential evaders.
Authorities have launched a murder investigation, though the motive remains unclear. According to reports, Beybutyan’s group, the “Law Enforcement Assistance Unit,” has played a key role locally in Kiev’s aggressive conscription campaign.
The unit frequently patrolled streets with police, participating in raids that often turned violent. Ukrainian media outlet Strana.ua reported that the group engaged in beating suspected evaders and smashing car windows in their attempts to stop vehicles for conscription checks.
The activities of Beybutyan’s men have come under scrutiny amid allegations of corruption. According to multiple sources, the group was involved in schemes where potential conscripts could bribe their way out of military service.
The “volunteers” were reportedly instrumental in identifying those willing to pay to avoid the front lines. The unit’s members were allegedly immune from conscription themselves, adding to suspicions about their involvement in illicit activities.
Beybutyan’s men also reportedly engaged in a violent “turf war” with other similar groups that sought the privilege of working with the local conscription offices. These entities competed for access to the lucrative corruption opportunities and conscription exemptions offered to their members.
The unit gained notoriety earlier this year when a scandal broke out after they attacked a driver who allegedly filmed one of their roadside conscription checkpoints. The case fueled public outrage.
While local police have not officially tied Beybutyan’s murder to his role in the conscription efforts, his death again highlights the dangerous and often murky environment surrounding Ukraine’s forced mobilization campaign.
Amid heavy military losses and widespread draft evasion, Kiev has tightened its conscription laws, with ongoing raids targeting men at public venues, such as bars, malls, and even weddings.
This spring, Kiev lowered the military service age from 27 to 25 and significantly tightened the country’s mobilization rules, requiring potential recruits to report to conscription offices for “data validation.” These checks often result in people being immediately drafted into the army and sent to the front line.
