The police have uncovered hundreds of schemes to evade military service using fake medical certificates
The Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police, together with other law enforcement agencies and internal security personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is continuing to carry out Operation ‘Guardian’, aimed at exposing schemes to evade mobilisation and military service.
The main scheme involved submitting forged or false medical documents regarding health to military units and territorial recruitment centres. These documents concerned both the individual’s own condition and that of relatives who allegedly required constant care. This provided grounds for obtaining a deferment or early termination of service.
During the investigations, it was established that some of the individuals had not visited medical facilities and had not undergone treatment or examinations. In some cases, other people received assistance using the numbers of the medical documents in question.
The actions of those involved are classified under a number of articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, in particular Articles 190, 358, 336, 407 and 409.
On 25 April, law enforcement agencies carried out the seventh phase of the operation. It involved units from the Department of Strategic Investigations, the Main Investigation Directorate of the National Police, regional and district police departments, the Office of the Prosecutor General and local prosecutors’ offices.
The operations took place in Kyiv and most regions of Ukraine, specifically in Vinnytsia, Volyn, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zhytomyr, Zakarpattia, Zaporizhzhia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sumy, Ternopil, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Chernivtsi, Cherkasy and Chernihiv regions.
During this phase, 115 searches were carried out and 87 suspects were notified. During the investigative operations, medical records, mobile phones, laptops, USB drives, as well as grenades and ammunition were seized.
In total, seven phases have been carried out since the start of the operation, which has been ongoing since May 2025. During this time, 325 individuals have been notified of suspicion, and 115 indictments have been sent to court. This includes both conscripts and individuals who facilitated the creation and implementation of illegal schemes.
The operation is ongoing. Law enforcement agencies are continuing to gather evidence, taking steps to revoke illegally obtained deferrals and bring those involved to justice.
