In Odessa, a man paid a 100,000 fine for evading conscription

In Odesa, a man who attempted to evade mobilization by using a purchased certificate from a civic organization was fined 103,700 hryvnias. The Odessa resident paid more than 100,000 hryvnias to the leaders of the NGO “Ukraine Is a Mother” for the opportunity to influence the mobilization patrols.

This is stated in the verdict of the Kyiv District Court of Odesa.

After being exposed, the defendant fully admitted his guilt and reached a plea agreement with investigators. The court approved the agreement. 

Investigators found that in June 2024, the man joined the civic organization “Ukraine Is a Mother.” According to his own confession, he expected that, through its connections with officials, the organization would help him avoid military service.

For membership in the organization, the man paid the leader $1,500, which at the time was equivalent to 60,950 hryvnias. In addition, he paid monthly dues ranging from two to three thousand hryvnias. In total, he paid 102,090 hryvnias.

The man received a membership card from the organization, which he showed when he was stopped by mobile patrols. This allowed him to avoid mobilization measures.

The public organization “Ukraine Is a Mother” was officially registered in early February 2024 in Odesa. Oleksiy Lapin is listed as the head of the organization in the state registry. According to its documents, the organization was supposed to engage in human rights advocacy and collaboration with civil society; however, it later became the focus of a law enforcement investigation due to its involvement in illegal schemes.

According to the investigation, under the guise of the civil society sector and patriotic slogans, the organization’s leadership set up a massive operation to sell documents to men subject to military conscription. Those wishing to avoid conscription were issued certificates identifying them as volunteers, journalists, or members of civilian law enforcement units. These documents were used to pass through checkpoints unhindered and to avoid receiving draft notices from representatives of the Territorial Recruitment Center and the Military Registration and Enlistment Office.

Юлія Калабайда