In Odessa, a state institute was selling deferments from mobilization for $3,000

The deputy director for research and production at one of Odessa’s state research institutes will stand trial for organizing a scheme that, according to investigators, allowed men subject to military service to obtain deferments from mobilization through fictitious employment.

This was reported by the Odessa Regional Police.

According to the investigation, the official demanded $3,000 from a man in exchange for hiring him at an institution classified as critical infrastructure. It was precisely this status that made it possible to obtain a deferment from mobilization.

Law enforcement officials claim that after being hired, the man was not actually required to perform any duties. Instead, the official planned to ensure his fictitious time sheets were filled out, and demanded that the man hand over the bank card into which his salary would be deposited.

The official was detained on March 23 while receiving the full amount of the illicit benefit. During searches of his residence and office, documents and other evidence were seized which, according to investigators, confirm the operation of the scheme.

The pretrial investigation has now been completed, and the indictment has been submitted to the court. The man is charged with abuse of influence combined with extortion of an unlawful benefit (Part 3 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). If found guilty, he faces up to eight years in prison with confiscation of property.

Police note that the investigation is part of efforts to expose corruption schemes involving the illegal granting of deferrals from mobilization through the misuse of the status of critical infrastructure enterprises and institutions.

Recently, the Kyiv District Court of Odesa handed down a verdict to two brokers who were trading exemptions from mobilization. They were sentenced to pay fines.

Earlier in Odesa, investigators determined that officials at higher education institutions in Odesa had illegally admitted men of draft age to their programs.

According to investigators, this allowed students to obtain deferments frommobilization, while officials at the educational institutions received bribes.

Андрій Колісніченко