The Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police have dismantled six new schemes to evade mobilisation in several regions of Ukraine.

As a result, eleven organisers of these schemes have been detained. For sums of up to USD 25,000, they helped persons liable for military service evade mobilisation by using forged documents or illegally facilitating their departure abroad.

In Kyiv, SSU cyber units have exposed the organiser of a large-scale scheme to illegally ‘reserve’ persons liable for military service through a network of fictitious IT companies operating across Ukraine.

According to the investigation, the suspect, together with her accomplices, arranged for men seeking to evade mobilisation to be formally employed by bogus companies and secured ‘deferrals’ from mobilisation for them.

In the Lviv region, the SSU’s Military Counterintelligence exposed the head of a district Territorial Recruitment Centre who, in return for bribes, entered false information concerning persons liable for military service into the Oberih system.

The official used his electronic signature to certify false information in the register of conscripts, claiming that the individuals concerned had ‘completed military service’.

The investigation documented the suspect’s entry of falsified information concerning 80 persons liable for military service.

Also in the Lviv region, two local residents were detained for organising a channel for the illegal departure of men of conscription age to the EU.

The perpetrators operated as a team: one of them sought out ‘clients’, briefed them and coordinated their arrival at an agreed location near the border, while his accomplice showed them routes for illegally crossing the border through mountainous terrain.

The cost of the ‘transfer’ ranged from USD 14,000 to USD 25,000.

In the Odesa region, the SSU Counterintelligence exposed a local intermediary who was helping persons liable for military service evade mobilisation using forged medical certificates.

For USD 16,000, he promised to use his personal connections at a local hospital to secure ‘serious’ diagnoses and fictitious disability statuses without the individuals concerned actually undergoing medical examinations.

In addition, in the Ternopil region, the SSU Military Counterintelligence and investigators stopped the unlawful activities of the head of a local Medical Advisory Commission and four of his accomplices.

They produced forged medical reports for relatives of persons liable for military service, falsely claiming that they suffered from serious illnesses and required constant care.

In Khmelnytskyi region, a trafficker was detained for organising the illegal departure of conscripts to a neighbouring EU country in exchange for EUR 15,000.

The organiser transported his ‘clients’ in his own car to the border and instructed them on how to cross it on foot outside designated border crossing points.

The detainees have been served with notices of suspicion under several Articles of the CCU, according to offences committed:

• 114-1.1 – obstruction of the lawful activities of the AFU, during a special period;
• 28.2, 114-1.1 – obstruction of the lawful activities of the AFU, during a special period, committed by a group, by prior conspiracy;
• 332.1, 332.3 – illegal smuggling of persons across the state border of Ukraine;
• 366.1 – forgery in the course of duty;
• 362.3 – unauthorised actions involving information processed in electronic computers, automated systems or computer networks, or stored on data storage media, committed by a person authorised to access such information;
• 369-2.3 – abuse of influence.

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

The operational and investigative activities were carried out by the SSU units under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutors’ Offices.