A scheme of fictitious employment at a university to avoid mobilisation was uncovered in Kyiv

Employees of the State Bureau of Investigations exposed and stopped the activities of a group of individuals who organised a scheme in the Kyiv region to evade mobilisation and embezzle budget funds at one of Kyiv's state universities.

According to the investigation, two entrepreneurs and an official of the educational institution were involved in organising the scheme.

The group members sought out men subject to military service who wanted to avoid mobilisation. They were hired as research assistants at the university.

Formally, these employees were part of a creative team that was supposedly working on a project to develop unmanned aerial vehicles.

In reality, these people did not carry out any research. Among the registered "scientists" were an agronomist, a dentist, a service station employee, and other individuals who had no connection to scientific activity.

According to law enforcement officials, in just six months, the participants in the scheme helped at least 14 people avoid mobilisation. The cost of such services ranged from 1,500 to 4,000 US dollars per person.

Four suspects have been notified of suspicion of official forgery and embezzlement of university funds, committed by prior conspiracy by a group of individuals under martial law.

This refers to part two of Article 366 and part four of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The articles provide for punishment of up to 12 years' imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The case is being prosecuted by the Specialised Prosecutor's Office for the Central Region in the field of defence.