Russian military commissariats attacks

A series of Molotov cocktail arson attacks and shootings took place in Russian military commissariat registration and enlistment offices following the start of the country's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Other governmental buildings were also attacked in multiple regions of Russia. Part of the Russian partisan and anti-war movements, the attacks were spurred by several factors, including the invasion of Ukraine, the deployment of Russian conscripts to the front line, the start of spring conscription, and rumors about possible mobilization in the country, which were later found to be true.

2022–25 Russian military commissariats attacks
Part of the anti-war protests in Russia, Terrorism in Russia and 2022 Russian partisan movement
Map of attacks on military commissariats in Russia since February 2022
Date	28 February 2022 (2022-02-28) – present
Location	Russia
Caused by	Russo-Ukrainian War Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022 Russian mobilization
Methods	Molotov cocktail attacks Arsons Shooting
Status	Ongoing
Parties
Russian opposition Anti-war activists Black Bridge[1] Anti-mobilization activists Committee of Bashkir Resistance[2] Army conscripts[3] National Republican Army (alleged)[4] BOAK[5] NS/WP (allegedly, according to Russian authorities)[6] Supported by: Navalny Team[7][8] Government: MO AFRF MVD Police of Russia SCRF Rosgvardiya OMON FSB SKR
Casualties
Death(s)	13 (including 2 perpetrators)
Injuries	>20

Commissariat offices recruit servicemen to the Russian Army and choose who is eligible and ineligible for service. The attacks were not a single coordinated campaign; and were led by a variety of people, from left-wing anarchists and scammers^[9] to far-right groups and assorted lone wolf actors.^{[10][11][12][13][14]}

Chronology

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Attacks on military commissariats and other government buildings in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine

Date	Place	Target	Method	Deaths	Injuries	Damage (per Russian authorities)	Ref.
28 February 2022	Lukhovitsy, Moscow Oblast	Military commissariat	Vandalism, Molotov attack, Graffiti	0	0	Shattered windows, "material damage"	[15]
2 March 2022	Voronezh	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Entrance door of the commissariat	[16]
10 March 2022	Beryozovsky, Sverdlovsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Entrance doors of the commissariat	[17]
18 March 2022	Shuya, Ivanovo Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Window of the commissariat	[18]
18 April 2022	Zubova Polyana, Mordovia	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	One office, several computers	[19][20]
1 May 2022	Belgorod	Ministry of Defence facility	Arson (allegedly)	0	1	Unknown	[21]
4 May 2022	Nizhnevartovsk	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Wood paneling	[22][23][24]
8 May 2022	Cherepovets	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Two window frames, exterior decoration	[25][26]
9 May 2022	Balashikha, Moscow Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Window	[27][28]
13 May 2022	Omsk	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Windows	[29][30]
	Gukovo, Rostov Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[31][32]
14 May 2022	Pronsk, Ryazan Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Entrance door and window	[32][33]
15 May 2022	Volgograd	Military commissariat	Arson, Molotov attack	0	0	"Some used items"	[32][34]
18 May 2022	Shchyolkovo, Moscow Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Two offices, Military commissariat archive	[35][36]
20 May 2022	Zheleznogorsk-Ilimsky, Irkutsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Air gun firing	0	0	Window	[37]
	Igra, Udmurtia	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Army reserve room	[38][39]
28 May 2022	Simferopol	Military commissariat	Molotov attack (unsuccessful)	0	0	No damage	[40]
31 May 2022	Yasnogorsk, Tula Oblast	Military commissariat	Axe attack, arson	0	0	Window	[41]
8 June 2022	Vladivostok	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Building cladding	[42]
24 June 2022	Belgorod	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Table in one of the offices, window	[43][44]
	Perm	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Two windows	[44][45]
13 July 2022	Mozhaysk, Moscow Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[46]
15 July 2022	Mineralnye Vody, Stavropol Krai	Commissariat, City administration	Planned Molotov attack	0	0	Detained before arson	[47]
20 July 2022	Uglich, Yaroslavl Oblast	Military commissariat	Planned Molotov attack	0	0	Detained before arson	[48]
18 August 2022	Konakovo, Tver Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Window frame	[49]
3 September 2022	Izhevsk, Udmurtia	Police station	Molotov attack, stabbing	0	3	Two policemen received stab wounds, perpetrator received gunshot wounds	[50]
22 September 2022	Tolyatti	City administration	Molotov attack	0	0	Entrance	[51]
	Nizhny Novgorod	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Dental office, window	[51]
	Lomonosov, Saint Petersburg	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Сhurch building window (by mistake)	[52]
	Gay, Orenburg Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	One wall	[53]
	Kyra, Zabaykalsky Krai	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Commissariat documentation	[54][55]
23 September 2022	Svobodny, Amur Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	"Light damage"	[54]
	Khabarovsk	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Two offices	[54]
	Kamyshin, Volgograd Oblast	City administration	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[56]
	Tselinnoye, Altai Krai	House of Culture, village administration	Arson	0	0	Postal office	[56]
	Kostroma	Military commissariat	Graffiti	0	0	One wall	[57][58]
24 September 2022	Kansk, Krasnoyarsk Krai	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Furniture in one of the rooms	[59][60]
	Salavat, Bashkortostan	United Russia office	Arson	0	0	Entrance door	[61]
25 September 2022	Ruzayevka, Mordovia	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	One office	[62]
	Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	One wall	[63]
	Kirovsk, Leningrad Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	One office	[64]
	Bereslavka, Volgograd Oblast	Village administration	Arson	0	0	All building, art school	[65]
	Syaskelevo [ru], Leningrad Oblast	Village administration	Molotov attack	0	0	Social protection office	[66]
	Ryazan	Bus station	Self-immolation	0	1	No damage	[67]
26 September 2022	Ust-Ilimsk, Irkutsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Shooting	0	1	Military commissar received gunshot wounds	[68]
	Uryupinsk, Volgograd Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	"Significant damage"	[69]
	Tarusa, Kaluga Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Broken window	[70][71]
	Beloomut, Moscow Oblast	Locality administration	Molotov attack	0	0	Double glazing and window sill	[72]
27 September 2022	Vladivostok	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Military pensioners accounting office	[73][74]
28 September 2022	Vladivostok	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Broken window, burnt windowsill and frame	[73][74]
29 September 2022	Novosibirsk	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Broken window	[75]
	Zimovniki, Rostov Oblast	District administration	Molotov attack	0	0	One office	[76]
30 September 2022	Nizhny Novgorod	Building of Federal Taxation Service	Molotov attack	0	0	No data	[77]
	Krasnodar	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	"The arsonist failed to start a big fire"	[78]
1 October 2022	Kaa-Khem, Tuva Republic	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	No data	[79]
3 October 2022	Kazan	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Grass near the military commissariat	[80][81]
	Krasnoyarsk	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	"A small fire"	[80][81]
5 October 2022	Zyuzino, Moscow Oblast	Military unit	Molotov attack	0	0	Burnt window cladding	[82]
6 October 2022	Goryachy Klyuch, Krasnodar Krai	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[83][84]
9 October 2022	Arkhangelskoye, Bashkortostan	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[85]
11 October 2022	Bakal, Chelyabinsk Oblast	Locality administration	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[86]
12 October 2022	Saint Petersburg	Sberbank branch	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[87]
14 October 2022	Votkinsk, Udmurtia	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No data	[88]
	Cherkessk, Karachay-Cherkessia	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	No data	[89]
15 October 2022	Soloti, Belgorod Oblast	Military training area	Shooting	13 (including both perpetrators)	15	11 killed according to state-owned news agency RIA; both gunmen were killed	[90]
16 October 2022	Shchyolkovo, Moscow Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[91]
17 October 2022	Mukhorshibir, Buryatia	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Burnt facade	[92]
26 October 2022	Kyzyl	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Burnt window	[93]
28 October 2022	Kemerovo	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No data	[94][95]
30 October 2022	Ust-Kan, Altai Republic	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[96]
	Almetyevsk, Tatarstan	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Detained before arson	[97]
7 November 2022	Angarsk, Irkutsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[98]
23 December 2022	Ivanteyevka, Saratov Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	One room burnt out	[99][100]
26 December 2022	Perm	Multi-story house housing a military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Fire spread up to 5 floors high	[101]
27 December 2022	Podolsk, Moscow Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Burnt window	[102]
29 December 2022	Yekaterinburg	Electrical substation	Arson	0	0	Detained before arson	[103]
1 January 2023	Moscow	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[104]
9 January 2023	Bratsk, Irkutsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Damage on an area of a 50 square meters	[105][106]
10 January 2023	Novokubansk, Krasnodar Krai	Federal Penitentiary Service archive	Arson	0	0	500-800 files of prisoners destroyed	[107]
11 January 2023	Magdagachi, Amur Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Burnt window	[108]
2 February 2023	Kovylkino, Mordovia	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[109]
21 February 2023	Bokhan, Irkutsk Oblast	Administration building	Arson	0	0	Arsonist failed to start a large fire	[110]
23 February 2023	Murmansk	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Windowframe damaged	[111]
26 February 2023	Sosnovy Bor, Leningrad Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Ceiling burnt out in a Social Fund of Russia's office	[112]
28 February 2023	Kirovsk, Leningrad Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Arsonist failed to start a fire	[113]
6 March 2023	Novosibirsk	Aid collection point for draftees	Arson	0	0	Floor and a desk burned	[114]
1 April 2023	Pervouralsk, Sverdlovsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Arsonist failed to start a fire	[115]
12 April 2023	Usinsk, Komi Republic	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No data	[116]
25 April 2023	Yelets, Lipetsk Oblast	District administration office and court	Molotov attack	0	0	Arsonist failed to start a fire	[117]
7 May 2023	Yekaterinburg	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Detained before arson	[118]
8 May 2023	Likhoslavl, Tver Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Building's facade and a windowframe damaged	[119]
11 May 2023	Usinsk, Komi Republic	Federal Security Service office	Molotov attack	0	0	Fire on an area of 1.5 sq m, burnt windowframe	[120]
14 May 2023	Murmansk	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Burnt furniture and electronics in a social security office	[121]
15 May 2023	Ulyanovsk	Police station	Arson	0	0	Burnt windowframe	[122]
22 May 2023	Moscow	Military commissariat	Unexplained fire	0	0	"The scale of the damage is unclear"	[123]
1 June 2023	Inza, Ulyanovsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Fire was quickly extinguished	[124]
3 June 2023	Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Firework attack	0	0	Arsonist failed to start a fire	[125]
4 June 2023	Asha, Chelyabinsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No data	[126]
7 June 2023	Vladimir	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Fire was quickly extinguished	[127]
8 June 2023	Tynda, Amur Oblast	Police station	Airsoft grenade attack	0	0	No data	[128][129]
29 June 2023	St. Petersburg	Sberbank branch	Arson	0	0	Fire was quickly extinguished	[130]
5 July 2023	Yoshkar-Ola	Sberbank branch	Molotov attack	0	0	Door burnt, glass shattered	[131]
20 July 2023	Berdsk, Novosibirsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Door burnt	[132]
29 July 2023	Feodosia, Crimea	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Asphalt near the building burnt	[133]
	Kazan	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Wall burnt	[134][135]
	Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Ground was set on fire	[136]
30 July 2023	Sevastopol	Commandant's Service office	Molotov attack / self-immolation	0	1	Window damaged by shards	[137]
31 July 2023	St. Petersburg	Military commissariat	Arson, car ramming	0	0	Burnt door, broken gates	[138][139]
	Kazan	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Arsonist failed to start a fire	[140]
	Omsk	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	No data	[141]
	Kaluga	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	No data	[141]
	Mozhaysk, Moscow Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Windowframe burnt	[142]
	Aginskoye, Zabaykalsky Krai	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No data	[143]
	Rossosh, Voronezh Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No data	[144][145]
	Podolsk, Moscow Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	No data	[146]
	Kopeysk, Chelyabinsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No data	[144]
	Volsk, Saratov Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	No data	[141]
	Maykop	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Detained before arson	[147]
1 August 2023	Ulan-Ude	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Fire on an area of 1 sq m	[148]
	Verkhneuralsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	No data	[149]
	Moscow	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Fire was extinguished	[150]
	Stavropol	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Detained before arson	[151]
	Ishimbay, Bashkortostan	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	No data	[147]
	Sestroretsk, St. Petersburg	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Detained before arson	[147]
	Nakhodka, Primorsky Krai	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No data	[147]
14 August 2023	Polevskoy, Sverdlovsk Oblast	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Door burnt	[152]
15 August 2023	Chernyshevsk, Zabaykalsky Krai	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Arsonist failed to start a fire	[153]
17 August 2023	Kirov	Mobilization tent	Arson	0	0	No data	[154]
22 August 2023	Yekaterinburg	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Little damage	[155]
29 August 2023	Ufa	Military commissariat	Arson	0	0	Detained before arson	[156]
	Moscow	Judicial sector	Arson	0	0	Fire on the surface of 6 sq m	[157]
5 September 2023	St. Petersburg	Military commissariat	Bombing	0	0	No data	[158]
18 September 2023	Blagoveshchensk	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Grass near the building burnt	[159]
21 September 2023	Magadan	Printing warehouse (mistaken for a military commissariat)	Molotov attack	0	0	Window broken	[160]
27 September 2023	St. Petersburg	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	No damage	[161]
	Kotelnich, Kirov Oblast	Contract service reception point	Arson	0	0	Little damage	[162]
	Kornevo, Kaliningrad Oblast	Cadet classroom in a local school	Molotov attack	0	0	Arsonist failed to start a fire	[163]
28 September 2023	Artyom, Primorsky Krai	Military commissariat	Molotov attack	0	0	Fire quickly went out	[164]
15 March 2024	Borisoglebsk, Voronezh Oblast	Ballot box	Zelyonka attack	0	0	Ballots damaged	[165]
	Moscow	Ballot box	Zelyonka attack	0	0	Ballots damaged
		Voting booth	Arson	0	0	No data	[166]
	Kogalym, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug	Ballot box	Arson	0	0	Floor was set on fire; no damage to the ballots	[167]
	St. Petersburg	Polling station	Molotov attack	0	0	No data	[168]
	Simferopol	Ballot box	Zelyonka attack	0	0	Ballots damaged	[169]
	Rostov-on-Don	Ballot box	Inking	0	0	Ballots damaged	[165]
	Mytishchi, Moscow Oblast	Voting booth	Arson	0	0	Voting booth damaged	[170]
	Asbest, Sverdlovsk Oblast	Polling station	Molotov attack	0	0	No data	[171]
	Volzhsky, Volgograd Oblast	Ballot box	Zelyonka attack	0	0	Ballots damaged	[172][173]
	Lytkarino, Moscow Oblast	Ballot box	Paint attack	0	0	One ballot damaged	[174]
	Sochi, Krasnodar Krai	Ballot box	Zelyonka attack	0	0	Ballots damaged	[175]
	Cheboksary	Ballot box	Arson	0	0	No data	[176]
	Chelyabinsk	Polling station	Firecracker attack	0	0	No data	[177]
	Ivanovo	Polling station	Arson	0	0	No data
	Novosibirsk	Ballot box	Zelyonka/ink attack	0	0	No data
	Izhevsk	Ballot box	Zelyonka/ink attack	0	0	No damage	[177][178]
	Kurgan	Ballot box	Zelyonka/ink attack	0	0	No data	[177]
	Veliky Novgorod	Ballot box	Paint attack	0	0	No damage	[179]
	Yekaterinburg	Ballot box	Paint attack	0	0	Detained before ballot tampering	[180]
16 March 2024	Kuragino, Krasnoyarsk Krai	Ballot box	Zelyonka attack	0	0	One ballot damaged
	Tobolsk, Tyumen Oblast	Polling station	Firecracker attack	0	1	Perpetrator injured	[181]
	Mayma, Altai Republic	Ballot box	Zelyonka attack	0	0	Detained before ballot tampering	[182]
	Zelenogradsk, Kaliningrad Oblast	Ballot box	Zelyonka attack	0	0	Ballots damaged	[183]
17 March 2024	Krasnodar	Polling station	Arson	0	0	"Insignificant damage"	[184]
	Perm	Polling station	Firecracker attack	0	1	Perpetrator injured	[185]
13 April 2024	Vladimir	Regional government office	Molotov attack	0	0	Car destroyed	[186]

Versions

In the Telegram channel "Oderint, Dum Metuant", the authors of which opposed the invasion of Ukraine and position themselves as a cell of the revived National Socialism / White Power, there were videos of some actions - on some unknown people set fire to cars with the letter Z, on others fires are visible in some buildings — the channel claims that supporters of the movement set fire to the warehouse of the "military facility", the police department and the military commissariats. The channel administrators even arranged a "quest", promising 15,000 rubles to anyone who sets fire to a car with the Z symbol, or 30,000 for setting fire to a police car. They planned to pay money in cryptocurrency. According to the security officials, the movement's associates could be involved in several arsons in central Russia.^[187]

In anonymous Telegram channels and on pro-Kremlin websites, allegations began to appear that the Security Service of Ukraine pays 30,000 rubles for setting fire to military commissariats, and this "must be filmed on camera".^{[188][189][190][191]}

According to another version, draft offices are set on fire by conscripts and those subject to possible mobilization.^{[190][192][193]}

Phone scams

See also: Scam call centers in Ukraine

Some reports^{[9][194][195][196]} indicate that some of the attacks are being committed by elderly people who have been tricked via phone to first hand over large amounts of money, and then in order to regain that money, perform an attack on a conscription center.^[9][194]

Legal proceedings

After beginning of mobilization, Vladimir Tsimlyansky, Representative of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta stated "arson of military commissariat will be qualified as terrorist attack or calls for terrorist attack". According to Criminal Code of Russia, a person can get up to 15 years in prison for those charges.^[197]

Two men — from Saint Petersburg and from Chernyakhovsk — were charged with "Intentional damage or destruction of someone else's property" under Article 167.^[198][199] The man from Volgograd was arrested for Molotov attack and is now detained on charges of Article 167 as well as Article 213 "Hooliganism".^[200]

Another case has been opened under Article 205 "Terrorist act" for Molotov attacker from Krasnodar.^[201]

See also

• Russian partisan movement (2022–present)
• Russian mystery fires
• Attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine