The Ministry of Defense explains how body cameras will work in the shopping mall

3 September 2025 12:11

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has approved a new Instruction that regulates the use of body cameras by employees of territorial recruitment and social support centers (TSCs and SPs). From now on, video recording during the delivery of summonses and document checks will be mandatory, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports

Why is this being introduced?

Starting from September 1, representatives of the TCC and JV alert groups are required to use body cameras. The main goal is to increase the transparency and legitimacy of mobilization activities, as well as to prevent possible abuses.

How will the system work?

The Ministry of Defense has started creating a unified IT system for storing and processing video recordings.

Upon completion of the work, representatives of the alert groups will hand over the devices to a responsible person appointed by a separate order from among the officials of the TCC and JV. The latter will check their integrity and functionality, as well as automatically export information to a centralized secure server.

The server will be administered by the Military Law Enforcement Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which will mitigate the risks of unauthorized access to records and interference with the system.

The storage period for records on the server of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be 30 days from the date of upload. However, this period may be extended in case of:

other events, if they can be used in the course of official activities of the TCC and JV, during official investigations.
use of records in criminal proceedings or administrative offenses as sources of evidence;
when considering complaints against actions or omissions of authorized representatives in the exercise of their powers;
providing information at the request of a lawyer or a law enforcement agency;
recording emergency events involving the personnel of the TCC and JV;
other events, if they can be used in the course of the official activities of the TCC and JV, during official investigations.

Basic rules for the use of body cameras

A representative of the TCC and JV must notify the TCC and JV of the video recording.
The recording starts from the moment of commencement of work and continues continuously.
It is forbidden to delete or edit the recordings, turn off the cameras or transfer the video to outsiders.
The camera is worn on the uniform (most often on the chest) or held in the hands if necessary for better fixation.
Video recording is not performed only in cases where there is a risk of capturing military objectives or during personal needs (e.g., eating).

Responsibility and control

Control over the use of video recorders will be exercised by the responsible person of the TCC and JV, and the information obtained with their help will be directly reported to the head of the recruitment center.

Violation of the rules for the use of technical means of recording entails disciplinary liability – from a reprimand to a demotion in position or rank, as well as the transfer of materials to law enforcement agencies.