The Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police have uncovered eight new schemes for evading mobilization: what is known
2 February 15:26
The Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police announced the exposure of eight more schemes of evading mobilization and illegal border crossing in various regions of the country, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to law enforcement officials, 16 people believed to be the organizers and active participants in these schemes were detained as part of a special operation.
According to the investigation, the suspects charged between $3,000 and $16,500 for their “services” in avoiding conscription or leaving the country.
Geography of the schemes
According to the SBU, illegal deals were operating in at least eight regions — from Kharkiv and Lviv to Poltava, Donetsk, and border regions.
In Kharkiv, according to military counterintelligence, a Ukrainian Armed Forces contractor was detained. He is suspected of offering mobilized soldiers illegal passage to EU countries through the forests of the western regions, involving so-called “trackers” from the border areas.
In Lviv, the head of a unit at one of the Armed Forces training centers became a suspect in the case. Investigators believe that he organized a channel for unauthorized departure from a restricted facility: through acquaintances in the medical unit, mobilized soldiers were issued fictitious referrals for treatment, after which they did not return to their military units.
Fake documents and influence on the TCC
In Chernivtsi, law enforcement officers exposed a group of seven people who, according to the investigation, used their connections in the TCC to issue fake documents for enlistment in military service.
In Khmelnytskyi region, a local resident was detained on suspicion of selling fake certificates of third-degree disability. According to the SBU, he used his contacts among members of the former Medical and Social Expert Commission (MSEC) for this purpose.
In Zhytomyr region, according to law enforcement officials, two current TCC officials and their former colleague were detained. They are suspected of removing draft dodgers from the wanted list in exchange for bribes.
Crossing the border and “medical” schemes
In Vinnytsia region, a 49-year-old man was detained who, according to the investigation, used his own car to drive men of draft age to the border with Moldova and showed them forest routes to bypass checkpoints.
In the Poltava region, law enforcement officials reported exposing a scheme for issuing fictitious certificates of the need to care for “sick” relatives. According to the investigation, a family doctor was involved in the scheme.
In Donetsk region, an entrepreneur was detained on suspicion of trading in forged medical certificates from the Military Medical Commission (MMC) stating “poor health” or referrals to rear units with the participation of MMC and TCC officials.
What the suspects are charged with
The detainees were charged under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, in particular for obtaining unlawful benefits, illegally transporting persons across the border, abuse of influence, and forgery of documents.
The maximum punishment under these articles is up to 10 years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property.
Who is conducting the investigation
Comprehensive measures were carried out by the SBU and the National Police under the procedural guidance of specialized defense prosecutors in various regions, as well as regional prosecutors.
Law enforcement officials note that the investigation is ongoing and do not rule out new arrests.
