Military recruitment officials exposed in Zhytomyr region for organizing draft evasion scheme

In the Zhytomyr region, law enforcement officers exposed a former employee and two serving officers of Ukraine's Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers who, for money, helped draft-eligible men evade mobilization.

The Main Department of the National Police in the Zhytomyr Region reported this on its website, according to Ukrinform.

"It was established that a 41-year-old resident of the regional center who had previously worked at a Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center devised a 'business plan.' Realizing he would need accomplices, he enlisted the support of a 57-year-old specialist from one of the centers. The woman agreed and suggested involving a 28-year-old colleague – an officer with authority over military registration and deferments. After securing his consent, the accomplices divided their roles," the statement said.

According to police, the former employee negotiated with "clients" and acted as an intermediary in receiving and passing on bribes. His accomplices handled registering draft-eligible men and preparing documents without their presence, removing them from wanted lists, and halting mobilization procedures.

Law enforcement said that in mid-January, a man contacted the intermediary after discovering via the Reserve+ app that he had been listed as wanted. During the call, he was told the issue could be "resolved" for money.

Initially, the suspect named a first payment of UAH 25,000. At their meeting, he additionally offered to help the man pass the military medical commission and further evade mobilization for another UAH 10,000.

A few days later, the intermediary split the money among his accomplices. The woman arranged for documents to be prepared in the man's name and handed them, along with the cash, to the officer, who entered the required information into the electronic register.

Police added that the intermediary later demanded an additional UAH 10,000 for his "personal services." Several days later, he drove the client to the military medical commission office, receiving the money in exchange for a "hassle-free examination."

Investigators served all three suspects with notices of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (an official accepting an offer, promising or receiving an unlawful benefit). The 41-year-old man and the 57-year-old woman were additionally charged as accomplices under Part 5 of Article 27.