Ukrainian authorities uncover new schemes selling rear military posts and aiding draft dodging

In Chernihiv Oblast, officials detained a military unit commander who transferred conscripted soldiers from combat units to rear positions in the Chernihiv garrison for bribes, earning nearly 2 million hryvnias ($45,288) for three such cases.

In Zhytomyr Oblast, a brigade commander was arrested for hiring acquaintances and relatives who never reported for duty.

“At the same time, the ‘mobilized’ individuals did not actually perform their military duties, did not report to their units, and remained at their actual places of residence,” the statement reads. “In return, the official confiscated his “subordinates’” bank cards and embezzled their salaries. In this way, he “earned” 370,000 hryvnias ($8,378).”

In Khmelnytskyi Oblast, the deputy commander of a training center faces charges for accepting $5,000 bribes to transfer conscripted personnel to rear units by writing reference letters and influencing other commanders.

In Lviv Oblast, a border guard contract worker was caught red-handed offering to remove men from military registration for $16,000 by enlisting Territorial Recruitment Center officials to falsely declare them unfit for health reasons.

“To carry out the crime, he enlisted the help of officials he knew at the Territorial Recruitment Center, who, in exchange for money, falsely classified conscripts as unfit for service due to health reasons,” the SBU stated.

Suspects have been charged under multiple articles of Ukraine’s Criminal Code:

• Section 5 of Article 27, Section 4 of Article 191 (aiding and abetting the misappropriation, embezzlement, or unlawful acquisition of property through abuse of official position under martial law);
• Part 2 of Article 28, Part 3 of Article 369-2 (abuse of influence committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy);
• Part 5 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 364 (abuse of power or official position);
• Part 4 of Article 409 (evasion of military service through self-mutilation or by other means, committed under martial law).

They face up to 10 years in prison. The investigation continues.