Six schemes to evade conscription have been uncovered in the Kyiv region and in Mykolaiv
The Security Service of Ukraine, in collaboration with the National Police, has uncovered six schemes to evade mobilisation that were operating in the Kyiv and Mykolaiv regions. According to law enforcement officials, the organisers offered conscripts the chance to avoid conscription for sums ranging from 4,000 to 37,000 US dollars.
In Kyiv, a local resident and his partner have been placed under suspicion; according to the investigation, they were producing fake birth certificates for children born abroad. Such documents were used to obtain the status of a father of many children in order to secure a deferment from conscription and subsequently leave Ukraine. Law enforcement officers detained both individuals whilst they were receiving part of the payment from a client in one of the capital’s cafés.
In Vyshhorod, an official from a state-owned waterways company was exposed. According to the investigation, he registered conscripts at the company in exchange for money to secure exemptions from mobilisation. Furthermore, law enforcement officials claim that the official embezzled the wages of employees who were not actually performing any work.
In the Svyatoshynskyi district of Kyiv, a lawyer was charged with offering to arrange a second-degree disability status without legal grounds. To this end, he promised to exert influence on members of the expert panel assessing a person’s daily functioning.
In Bila Tserkva, law enforcement officers exposed an employee of the district territorial centre for recruitment and social support. According to the investigation, he guaranteed those mobilised a transfer to rear units, followed by discharge from service on health grounds.
Also in the Kyiv region, a man and a woman were exposed who, according to law enforcement, were selling conscripts with fictitious medical certificates for serious illnesses and offering to arrange placements at critical enterprises. In addition, they promised to arrange illegal travel to one of the European Union countries outside official border crossing points.
In Mykolaiv, a lawyer has been charged with, according to the investigation, offering to remove clients from the wanted list and military register on the basis of fictitious disability. To carry out the scheme, she allegedly planned to use personal connections within the military medical commission.
All those involved have been notified of charges under a number of articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, in particular regarding obstruction of the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the illegal smuggling of persons across the state border, forgery of documents, obtaining unlawful benefits and abuse of influence.
If found guilty, the suspects face up to ten years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property.
Operational measures were carried out by SBU officers in Kyiv, Kyiv and Mykolaiv regions under the procedural guidance of the prosecution authorities.
