The Security Service of Ukraine, in conjunction with the National Police, has disrupted seven new schemes to evade military service and mobilisation and detained 18 organisers in several regions of Ukraine.

In the Zhytomyr region, four organisers of a large-scale scheme to evade conscription on the basis of non-existent cancer diagnoses have been exposed.

For USD 15,000, a local estate agent sought out ‘clients’, whilst her accomplices – the head of department and a doctor at the oncology clinic, as well as a staff member at the Primary Healthcare Centre – simulated surgical procedures and used biological material from real patients to issue fake certificates of serious diagnoses to those evading conscription.

This enabled the men to obtain a fictitious disability classification and thus evade conscription.

The investigation revealed that nearly fifty conscripts had used this scheme.

In the Odesa region, the SSU Military Counterintelligence detained three individuals involved in a scheme to illegally discharge military personnel from service on grounds of ‘poor’ health. Among the organisers of the scheme were the son of the head of the regional commercial court and two former officials of a Territorial Recruitment Centre.

The suspects, in collusion with the secretary of the local Military Medical Commission, arranged fictitious ‘inpatient treatment’ for those evading military service, followed by the recording of fake diagnoses. The cost of the ‘package’ of documents was USD 15,000.

In addition, in Odesa, the SSU exposed a GP and two staff members of a local medical facility who had promised draft dodgers ‘early’ removal from military registration on the basis of fictitious medical reports. Among those implicated is the head of one of the departments at the regional medical centre.

For USD 4,000, the suspects sold forged certificates confirming a disability category to men liable for military service.

At the very start of the scheme’s operation, at least 20 men had sought its ‘services’.

In the Cherkasy region, a blogger has been exposed for calling for the disruption of mobilisation measures in the central region of Ukraine.

According to the investigation, the perpetrator posted videos on his TikTok page showing the routes taken by mobile groups from the Territorial Recruitment Centre and law enforcement officers, and then called men to evade these locations.

Also in the region, a former secretary of the Medical Advisory Commission was detained; for USD 2,000, she had been helping draft dodgers obtain carer status and thus evade mobilisation.

To this end, the former official drew up fictitious medical reports claiming that relatives of conscripts were suffering from serious illnesses.

According to available data, nearly 100 men liable for military service used this illegal scheme.

In the Khmelnytskyi region, the law enforcement detained three organisers of a scheme to illegally send men abroad. For EUR 14,000, the perpetrators arranged fictitious employment for draft dodgers at a critical infrastructure enterprise, followed by ‘reservation’.

In this way, the evaders were able to leave Ukraine under the pretext of a work trip.

In Vinnytsia, the SSU Counterintelligence detained a contract soldier from one of the region’s military units who, for USD 9,500, helped conscripts to illegally leave their place of service.

To do this, the suspect secretly guided ‘clients’ beyond the perimeter of the restricted-access facility, evading the checkpoints.

Later, his two accomplices were to transport the deserters in their cars beyond the garrison’s boundaries.

The detainees have now been notified of their status as suspects under several Articles of the CCU, according to the actions each of them committed:

• 28.2, 114-1.1 (obstruction of the lawful activities of the AFU and other military formations during a state of emergency, committed by a group, by prior conspiracy);
• 332.3 (illegal transportation of persons across the state border of Ukraine);
• 358.3 (forgery of documents, seals, stamps and forms; the sale or use of forged documents, seals or stamps);
• 28.2, 369-2 (abuse of influence, committed by a group, by prior conspiracy);
• 27.3, 28.2, 408.4 (desertion committed under martial law by a group, by prior conspiracy).

The suspects face up to 12 years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The operations were carried out under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor’s Offices.