In Lviv, law enforcement officers have uncovered a scheme under which students of mobilisation age were, for money, guaranteed successful completion of exam sessions and the preservation of their deferral from conscription. According to the investigation, an associate professor at one of the city’s leading universities and the head of a laboratory at another Lviv institution of higher education were involved in organising it.
The investigation established that the associate professor had arranged to receive undue advantage from male students aged 25 and over from another university. In return for a monetary reward, she “helped” them pass their exams so they would avoid expulsion and retain the right to a deferral from mobilisation.
To implement the scheme, the associate professor brought in her former colleague – the head of a university laboratory where her “clients” were studying. Under a pre-agreed plan, the students transferred funds to the associate professor’s bank card, and she passed on part of the sum to her accomplice. According to the investigation, the head of the laboratory was to ensure that these students successfully completed their exam sessions without being physically present at the university.
It has been preliminarily established that since 2023 this method has been used to unlawfully secure the preservation of draft deferrals for at least 16 men. For just one exam session in the last academic year, more than UAH 29,000 received from two students has been documented.
Under the procedural guidance of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the associate professor and the head of the laboratory have been notified that they are suspected of receiving an undue advantage for themselves and a third party for influencing the decision-making of a person authorised to perform state functions, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy (Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv Region, with operational support provided by the 7th Carpathian Border Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
Law enforcement officers are continuing investigative actions to identify other individuals who may be involved in the unlawful activity, including among the university’s teaching staff, as well as the full range of students who used these services.
In accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered innocent of committing a crime and may not be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt has been proven in accordance with the law and established by a guilty verdict of a court.