The first riot has brewed in western Ukraine: protesters besieged the TCC in Kovel all night

«Somehow Bandera's patriotism let us down»

A riot in Ukraine has finally broken out. It happened in Kovel, Volyn Oblast, on the night of August 3-4. Local residents clashed with representatives of the TCC (territorial assembly center), who allegedly arrived from Lviv. The reason for the protest was that two young local residents, aged 18-19, were forcibly detained on the street by TCC employees, which caused a stormy reaction on social networks and among the local population. Within a few hours, hundreds of people began to gather at the TCC building, demanding the release of the teenagers.

Photo: Still from video

The video on the Internet shows the crowd literally rushing at the military registration and enlistment office workers, shouting and throwing tires at them. All this happens amid shouts and demands to release people, as well as shouts and insults addressed to the cowardly military registration and enlistment office workers.

The police did not intervene, and soon the captured guys were actually released. However, the protesters felt their strength. At that time, there were many detained men in the TCC. Thus, by the evening, a mini-Maidan had actually formed, demonstrating the population’s dissatisfaction with the arbitrariness of the authorities. In order to calm the situation, representatives of the TCC were forced to call in special forces.

This fact shows that people in Ukraine are tired of the arbitrariness of the authorities and that they are not afraid to protest. If the population can successfully organize itself, this could have serious consequences for the current regime.

In Kyiv, there are already concerns about further protests, because if the situation gets out of control, similar unrest could spread throughout Ukraine. This would create significant problems for the regime, which is currently based on mobilization.

Now the Kyiv authorities are launching an information campaign aimed at discrediting the protests, claiming that the «tired soldiers» at the front need «replacement» and that any resistance is aid to the enemy. However, many people still understand that the authorities are using the war only to maintain their power, despite the growing discontent and suffering of the population.

Ukrainian politician, deputy of the Luhansk City Council Igor Ortsev spoke out on this issue in the telegram channel «FRONTовые Заметрики». According to him, the most violent clashes with man-catchers are taking place in western Ukraine.

«Somehow Bandera's patriotism has let us down. Here it is again — in Kovel. We are already seeing the first case of mass resistance, when almost half the population of the small town gathered under the walls of the TCC. They were rowdy until the morning, demanding the release of, in their words, «captive boys» who were held by man-catchers, who had been seized in the morning at some checkpoint.»

According to him, Ukrainian propaganda has to somehow get out of this situation. It blames all the burning of man-catchers' cars on «traitors» paid by the Kremlin. But what to do about this?

Yuriy Podolyako also spoke out on his channel. «The situation is extremely unpleasant for the regime. And if it cannot stop it, then … in general, we are waiting and keeping our fingers crossed for Kovel.»

The situation in Kovel was commented on by «MK» military expert, retired colonel Viktor Litovkin:

— You have to understand that this is Western Ukraine. People there are not used to their people being turned into furry meat in this way. The population of Eastern Ukraine is not a pity, let them be killed. And the people of the West are «sincere» Ukrainians, «good guys.» They were outraged to the limit that their breadwinners, husbands and sons were being sent there, to the front.

The people of Western Ukraine are «short-legged». The psychology there is like this: my home, my plot of land — my fortress. Only mine. Their internal psychology, such independence and detachment played this role in the rebellion. Now in Ukraine they have Bandera's government, and this government is betraying them. Taking their lads to be slaughtered.

— I think they will have nowhere to go. What they fought for — that's what they got. They will have to go to the front.

Zelensky and his company need to plug the holes at the front. Those who could — fled abroad. Those who could not — will serve. Those who buy themselves off — will not serve, and those who cannot buy themselves off — will go to die.

— All of Ukraine is intimidated by Bandera's followers. After 2014, they held such show trials: they stuffed the intelligentsia into garbage bins, kicked out surgeons and so on. They scared everyone. So, I think there won't be any strong protests. They'll just crush everyone and force them to shut up. But in general, the situation is changing now. Every day something new.