The Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police have dismantled three new mobilization evasion schemes in Odesa oblast. The organizers, including three heads of the regional mental health center, have been detained.

According to the investigation, the medical institution’s director general and two of his deputies sold fake medical reports on severe mental disorders to draft evaders.

The cost of the forgery was USD 20,000 per client. After buying such ‘documents’, the persons liable for military service used them to obtain disability certificates and then flee abroad.

The law enforcement documented more than 20 episodes of this crime committed by the said officials.

In another case, an accountant of a city hospital was detained for selling fake certificates of disability group 2 to the wives of potential conscripts.

These certificates allowed the evaders to be written off the military register allegedly to care for their ‘disabled’ wives and leave Ukraine.

Another suspect is a 23-year-old Odesa resident who offered men to issue fictitious disability certificates for their parents. In this way, potential conscripts hoped to escape abroad as ‘accompanying persons’ for their ‘seriously ill’ relatives.

The detained individuals have been notified of suspicion, according to the actions each of them carried out, under the Articles of the CCU:

• 332.3 (illegal transfer of persons across the state border, committed by an organized group);
• 368.3 (obtaining unlawful benefit);
• 114-1.1 (obstruction of the lawful activities of the AFU, during a special period);
• 369-2.2 (abuse of influence);
• 366.1 (forgery in office).

The suspects face up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The operations were carried out by the SSU Office in Odesa region jointly with the National Police under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office and the Specialized Military and Defence Prosecutor’s Office of the Southern Region with the assistance of Odesa Region Military Administration.