The Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police detained two heads of departments of city hospitals and the secretary of the head of the local medical and social expert commission in Odesa.
According to the SBU press service, they are suspected of selling fake disability certificates to conscripts.
They allegedly involved four unemployed people who were looking for potential clients.
In total, the SBU reported that law enforcement officers had dismantled three schemes to evade mobilization and illegally travel abroad by men of military age. In addition to Odesa region, doctors were also detained in Lviv and Kyiv regions.
In Kyiv region, the head of a hospital's neurology and neurosurgery department and her accomplice, a trauma surgeon, were detained for falsifying conscripts' medical records for money. The forgeries were then passed to the center of medical and social expertise, where the clients' diagnoses were confirmed and disability groups were assigned.
In Lviv, the former head and three officials of the inter-district MSEC were suspected of falsifying medical histories and then issuing medical certificates of unfitness for military service to men.
Currently, all the defendants have been notified of suspicion (in accordance with the crimes committed) under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- ч. 1 of Art. 114-1 (obstruction of the lawful activities of the Armed Forces and other military formations);
- ч. 3 of Art. 332 (illegal transportation of persons across the state border of Ukraine committed by an organized group);
- ч. 2, Art. 28, Art. 369-2 (abuse of influence committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons);
- ч. 1, Art. 366 (forgery in office).
The offenders face up to 9 years in prison with confiscation of property.
Кирило Бойко