The Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police have thwarted five new schemes to evade military service and mobilisation, detaining 11 organisers in several regions of Ukraine.

They helped conscripts to dodge conscription and leave the country illegally in exchange for sums ranging from USD 5,000 to 22,000.

Seven members of a criminal organisation were detained in the Lviv region for facilitating the unlawful discharge of mobilised personnel and the evasion of conscription.

The organisers of the scheme included members of the criminal underworld who had engaged members of the Medical Examination Commission, as well as officials from hospitals, military units and Territorial Recruitment Centres, to take part in their unlawful activities.

For sums of up to USD 20,000, they provided ‘clients’ with a ‘full package of services’, ranging from medical certificates of ‘unfitness’ for service with a second-degree disability classification to removing conscripts from military registration on health grounds.

In the Rivne region, a local lawyer was exposed for organising the production of fictitious medical documentation for draft dodgers claiming to suffer from ‘serious illnesses’.

To this end, the lawyer enlisted officials from the expert teams responsible for assessing a person’s day-to-day functioning to falsify medical records and assign disability categories. Such ‘services’ cost USD 9,000.

In the Donetsk region, a former employee of the Pokrovsk Territorial Recruitment Centre was declared suspect for offering draft dodgers the chance to be removed from the wanted list and military register on the basis of forged medical reports.

To carry out this criminal scheme, the suspect utilised personal connections amongst officials at the local Medical Examination Commission. The total amount of bribes received was USD 22,000.

In the Cherkasy region, a Smila district resident was detained for promising conscripts an ‘exemption’ from mobilisation on the basis of fictitious diagnoses in exchange for USD 10,000.

To operate her scheme, the woman enlisted her acquaintances who worked at the Military Medical Commission and the Territorial Recruitment Centre.

In the Kirovohrad region, the SSU’s cyber unit exposed an Oleksandriia resident who was leaking the locations and movement routes of mobile TRC units in Telegram chat channels, urging men to evade conscription.

The perpetrator used his own messenger account for this purpose, which had over 4,400 subscribers.

The individuals involved have now been notified of suspicion against them under several Articles of the CCU, according to offences committed:

• 332.3 (illegal transportation of persons across the state border of Ukraine);
• 369-2.3 (abuse of influence combined with the extortion of an unlawful benefit);
• 255.1, 255.2 (establishing, leading, or participating in a criminal organisation);
• 114-1.1 (obstructing the lawful activities of the AFU during a special period).

The suspects face up to 12 years in prison and confiscation of property.

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