The Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police have shut down new schemes for evading mobilization in Ukraine. Eight organizers have been detained.

For up to USD 15,000 they sold fictitious medical certificates to conscription-age men or smuggled them abroad.

A 62-year-old employee of a transportation company from Lviv has been detained in Zakarpattia. He brought draft dodgers to the western region and then arranged their escape to the EU through a disused gas pipeline.

The organiser of the route acted together with an acquaintance from Pokrovsk, who had migrated to the EU. While abroad, he sought potential ‘clients’ on TikTok and met them at the exit point of the pipeline.

In Odesa, the law enforcement detained four perpetrators who organised clandestine transfer of conscripts to the unrecognised Transnistria.

The criminal group included a deserter who posed as an active military serviceman and transported draft evaders in the trunk of his car.

In Poltava region, a 48-year-old former law enforcement officer was exposed for selling fake disability certificates. To obtain the forged documents, he used his accomplices – neurologists at several medical facilities.

The draft evaders were first registered for ‘inpatient treatment’ at local medical institutions and then given fictitious discharge papers with serious diagnoses.

In Dnipro, two unemployed men aged 51 and 59 were detained for smuggling men to the EU via forest trails. To disguise the draft dodgers in the area, the organisers gave them camouflaged clothing.

The persons involved in the crimes have been notified of suspicion, according to the offences committed, under several Articles of the CCU:

• 332.3 (illegal transportation of persons across the state border);
• 27.5, 368.3 (aiding and abetting in obtaining unlawful benefits by an official, committed upon prior conspiracy, by a group);
• 27.3, 358.3 (organisation of document forgery and distribution, committed upon prior conspiracy, by a group).

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

The operational and investigative activities were carried out by the SSU regional offices in cooperation with the National Police under the procedural supervision of Prosecutor’s Offices.