Contents1. The wave of terrorist attacks near military recruitment centers: recruitment through social media2. Attacks by Russian drones on Ukraine's military recruitment centers3. What experts say4. Ukrainian Armed Forces' response and changes in the work of military recruitment centersWith these attacks, Russia is signaling one of its long-standing “wishes”, first voiced as an ultimatum during the Istanbul talks: to stop Ukraine’s mobilization efforts (and halt Western arms supplies). The goal is clear — to exhaust the Ukrainian Armed Forces and force Ukraine into surrender, serving Putin’s imperial ambitions. Espreso takes a closer look at the recent strikes on military recruitment centers and their broader significance in the Russian-Ukrainian war.The wave of terrorist attacks near military recruitment centers: recruitment through social mediaDuring the winter, Russian special services actively used social media to recruit Ukrainians, including minors, by offering easy money for “simple tasks.” These tasks often involved planting explosive devices near military recruitment centers. While Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) managed to prevent several of these incidents, there were unfortunate cases where the Russian-recruited individuals became victims themselves.These events highlight Russia’s cynical tactics aimed at spreading fear and eroding public trust in state institutions. As it turns out, these terrorist acts were only a prelude to a new phase of attacks — this time using drones.Attacks by Russian drones on Ukraine's military recruitment centersSince late June, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian military recruitment centers, using strike drones against these facilities for the first time. At least five such attacks have been recorded so far. The timeline is as follows:June 30 – Kryvyi Rih: Russian forces launched a strike drone attack near a military recruitment center for the first time. The drone hit a neighboring building. Civilians in the area were injured, but the recruitment center personnel, who were in shelter during the air raid, were unharmed.July 3 – Poltava: Two separate drone strikes targeted both the regional and city military recruitment centers. At least three civilians were killed, and around 60 sought medical assistance. Four military personnel — two from the recruitment center and two from the Armed Forces — were also injured.July 6 – Kremenchuk (Poltava region): Enemy drones hit the building of the Kremenchuk district recruitment center and a nearby residential building. No casualties were reported among the military personnel.July 7 – Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia: Russian drones struck the regional territorial recruitment and social support centers. The attack injured five servicemen and 27 civilians.Ukrainian authorities and the military have officially confirmed that Russia is deliberately targeting military recruitment centers to disrupt the mobilization process. Volodymyr Sarantsev, spokesperson for the Ground Forces Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, stated that one of Russia’s goals is to destroy databases of those eligible for military service.“The main objective of these strikes is to disrupt Ukraine’s mobilization efforts,” Sarantsev said. “The enemy fears a growing influx of new servicemen into our army.”Surprisingly, the Russian Defense Ministry also openly confirmed the intent. “We are purposefully striking Ukraine’s military recruitment centers and will continue to do so,” the ministry stated.This admission points to a calculated strategy, not isolated attacks, which means such strikes are likely to increase.“The recent wave of enemy strikes on military recruitment centers across Ukraine is a clear sign of the Kremlin’s desperation,” the Armed Forces Command stated. “These centers are not military fortresses or weapons depots — they are administrative hubs where the process of strengthening our army begins, through the preparation of reserves. By targeting them, the enemy aims to create chaos, disrupt our organization, and undermine our determination. These are not random strikes — they are deliberate acts of terror designed to cripple the infrastructure that supports our fight for freedom and Ukraine’s independence. Every enemy munition that hits a recruitment center is an attack on every Ukrainian who believes in and stands behind a just victory for the Armed Forces,” the statement concluded.What experts sayFirst, it's important to recognize that Russia has significantly increased its drone production and improved their quality. This has become especially evident in recent months, with Ukraine’s capital facing several record-breaking Shahed drone attacks. As a result, Ukraine's air defense systems are overstretched, allowing drones to reach various cities.According to military expert Valeriy Ryabykh, development director at the Defense Express consulting group, Russia's strikes on military recruitment centers are not a genuine military tactic but a way to mask ongoing terrorist attacks on civilian infrastructure.“The enemy is trying to exert psychological pressure on Ukraine’s population to disrupt mobilization and weaken our ability to build the forces needed to resist Russia,” Ryabykh said on Espreso TV. “From a military standpoint, attacks on recruitment centers don’t serve strategic objectives — they are a smokescreen for Russia’s broader campaign of terror against civilians. And now, we see those attacks increasing dramatically.”Valeriy Ryabykh adds that strikes on military recruitment centers are largely ineffective. While they may disrupt some processes, these are not systematic attacks that deliver real military results. Instead, Russia uses them as a cover to justify strikes on civilian infrastructure, since recruitment centers are often located in civilian areas.The Institute for the Study of War also points out that Russia’s new tactics in air attacks, particularly the expanded use of long-range strike drones, underscore the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.Meanwhile, MP and Colonel of the Security Service of Ukraine Roman Kostenko believes that Russia is counting on the negative public perception of recruitment centers. They hope that by attacking these institutions, they will stir public sympathy and further destabilize the situation inside Ukraine.“They’re counting on the public’s negative attitude toward military recruitment centers to win people over,” said Roman Kostenko. “That’s why they’re targeting these buildings. In my view, these are more demonstration attacks. We all know that many recruitment centers have already been relocated, and the Russians are striking old locations—buildings that appeared on maps or were used in peacetime.”He added that most of these targeted buildings no longer house conscripts or military personnel.Political strategist Oleh Posternak also noted that these strikes are part of Russia’s broader information and psychological warfare. “These are psyops meant to spread fear and fuel ambivalence,” he said. “If even a small part of Ukrainians secretly feel pleased by these attacks, then the enemy sees that as a success.”“The SBU should pay attention to anyone who publicly celebrates the strikes on military recruitment centers. Such people have chosen to side with the enemy,” said military analyst and former Aidar battalion commander Yevhen Dykyi. He also warned that more strikes on recruitment centers are likely in the coming days.Meanwhile, the Center for Countering Disinformation reported that Russia is running an information campaign to disrupt Ukraine’s mobilization using popular messaging platforms.“As part of this campaign, enemy channels are spreading a Telegram bot that allows users to submit coordinates of city or territorial recruitment center buildings,” experts explained.Ukrainian Armed Forces' response and changes in the work of military recruitment centersAfter the drone strikes on July 7 targeting military recruitment centers in Kharkiv and Zaporizhia, the Vinnytsia regional recruitment center quickly announced a temporary change in its citizen reception locations, providing new addresses and schedules. However, within three hours, the center deleted the post, stating:“Due to the tense situation in the country, measures are being taken to minimize the impact of possible attacks by the aggressor on territorial recruitment and social support centers. To protect civilians, personnel at the Vinnytsia centers have been dispersed. Mobilization continues as planned, and reception for medical, social, and other issues is ongoing without interruption.”Meanwhile, sources told Suspilne that security at territorial recruitment and social support centers in the Lviv region has been tightened. Enhanced measures include increased vigilance by security personnel and metal detectors at entrances.“There is currently no information about any changes to the addresses,” sources at the military recruitment center confirmed.However, on Tuesday, July 8, Vitaliy Sarantsev, spokesperson for the Land Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said on the program Great Lviv Speaks that the military recruitment centers might change their working format due to recent Russian attacks.“Sometimes it’s necessary to adjust the format, primarily to protect the lives and health of both recruitment center staff and visitors, including veterans, pensioners, and military families,” Sarantsev explained.According to Sarantsev, employees of military recruitment centers may be dispersed, as has already happened in Vinnytsia, and some services will shift to remote delivery. To support this, the “Reserve+” app is being updated to simplify and secure interactions between citizens and recruitment centers.“Yes, there may be some inconveniences. This is a new challenge, and we need to introduce new solutions. But the mobilization process hasn’t stopped and won’t stop. We continue working to staff our units,” Sarantsev said.Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian recruitment centers are part of a broader policy to disrupt mobilization and weaken Ukraine’s defense. These strikes are combined with psychological pressure aimed at undermining trust in the mobilization process — a sensitive issue in Ukrainian society. While the attacks may temporarily disrupt recruitment center operations, their overall impact on mobilization is expected to be limited.