The Security Service and the National Police have dismantled yet another draft evasion scheme in the Kyiv region. Three organisers and participants in the scheme have been detained; they had helped conscripts evade conscription using forged documents.

In exchange for bribes, they ‘cancelled’ conscription notices, removed evaders from the wanted list and military register, or arranged ‘deferments’.

As the investigation revealed, the illegal activity was organised by an instructor from one of the units of the Bila Tserkva Territorial Recruitment Centre and his former colleague, currently serving in the Chernihiv region.

To operate the scheme, they engaged an accomplice – the deputy director of a critical-infrastructure company that manufactures specialised clothing and tactical footwear.

This official was involved in the fictitious hiring of draft dodgers at his company to issue ‘reservation’ documents to them.

The ‘newly hired’ employees never actually showed up at work.

The law enforcement agencies documented the crimes and caught the perpetrators ‘red-handed’ while they were receiving a new bribe to remove a draft evader from the wanted list.

Mobile phones and documents containing evidence of the illegal scheme were seized during the searches of the suspects’ homes, vehicles, and offices. Cash obtained through criminal means was also found.

The detained individuals have been notified of their status as suspects under Articles 27.5 and 368.3 of the CCU (acceptance of a proposal, promise, or receipt of an unlawful benefit by a public official, through prior conspiracy, by a group, committed repeatedly).

A motion has been filed with the court to impose custody as a preventive measure. The suspects face up to 10 years of imprisonment and confiscation of property.

The investigation is ongoing to bring all those responsible to justice.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Kyiv and Kyiv region jointly with the National Police under the procedural supervision of the Kyiv Region Prosecutor’s Office.