Mykolaiv Sports Department officials exposed in draft evasion scheme

In Mykolaiv, the property of the Peremoha children's and youth sports school was seized. The arrest took place as part of an investigation into a fictitious employment scheme that allowed men to evade mobilization.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations.

According to the decision of the Central District Court of Mykolaiv, criminal proceedings were opened on December 25, 2025. According to the investigation, officials of the Department of Physical Culture and Sports of the Mykolaiv City Council and heads of subordinate sports institutions could organize fictitious employment of men liable for military service for bribes.

According to the investigation, the men were enrolled in sports schools for USD 5,000, which allowed them to get reservations and avoid mobilization. Iryna Bondarenko, the head of the Sports Department of Mykolaiv City Council, who has been in charge of the department since 2021, could have been involved in the possible scheme.

According to law enforcement, she could have acted in collusion with Oleksandr Munch, director of the Peremoha Children and Youth Sports School, as well as with the management of the Specialized Children and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve No. 6, where the former head of the Sports Department, Oleh Mashkin, works as deputy director and boxing coach.

The search of the premises of the Peremoha sports school took place on January 20, 2026. During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized documentation, including time sheets for coaches and staff, class schedules, employment orders, job descriptions, personnel files, time logs, military registration lists, staffing lists, and other official documents.

The investigator recognized the seized materials as material evidence, and the court granted the prosecutor's motion and seized them. The seized documents concerned 13 people, including personal files, lists of conscripts and employees of the department and sports facilities.

According to media reports, law enforcement officers searched the Department of Physical Culture and Sports of Mykolaiv City Council and checked other sports schools in the city. The investigative actions were part of a criminal investigation into possible abuse of office and gaining undue advantage.

Also in January, a serviceman of the regional military training center was exposed in Mykolaiv region. According to law enforcement, he demanded USD 7 thousand for "assistance" in evading mobilization.

Анна Бальчінос