In Lviv, a 30-year-old local resident has been detained on suspicion of organising a scheme to evade mobilisation in return for a cash reward. This was reported under the procedural guidance of the Frankivsk District Prosecutor’s Office of the city of Lviv.
According to the investigation, in September this year the Lviv resident learnt that a man liable for military service was looking for grounds to obtain a deferment from conscription, and offered him his services. Arrangements and information exchange took place remotely, without face-to-face meetings.
When discussing the details, the suspect claimed to have extensive influence and offered several options: securing a deferment as an employee of an educational institution, registration with a “critical” enterprise, or entering information into the records system about the existence of a disability status. In the end, he persuaded the “client” to opt for a scheme under which, for 15,000 US dollars, through the “right” people he would facilitate the inclusion in the register of information about a Group III disability.
After the terms were agreed, the Lviv resident received the necessary documents. In October, data were entered into the records database about the alleged existence of a Group III disability in respect of the man liable for military service, which created grounds for him to claim a deferment from mobilisation.
The man was detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine immediately after receiving the agreed 15,000 US dollars. He has been notified of suspicion of obtaining an unlawful benefit for himself for influencing the decision-making of persons authorised to perform state functions, combined with extortion of such a benefit (Part 3 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
Investigative actions are ongoing; other individuals who may be involved in the unlawful activity are being identified, in particular among those who had access to maintaining registers and entering the relevant data. The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by Lviv District Police Department No. 2 of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv Region, with operational support from the Security Service of Ukraine Office in Lviv Region.
Pursuant to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and may not be subjected to criminal punishment until his or her guilt has been proven in the manner prescribed by law and established by a guilty verdict of a court.