How I am trying to comply with the Law and pass the VLC

In early May 2024, the Law came into force, according to which "citizens of Ukraine who were recognized as partially fit for military service before the entry into force of this Law shall be subject to a second medical examination within nine months from the date of entry into force of this Law to determine their fitness for military service." At the same time, the status of "limitedly fit" was abolished by the Ministry of Defense in an order that established the need for a military qualification examination.

Changes under the new law were slow, because citizens were still summoned to the MEC. The law began to be amended, according to which the former "limitedly fit" persons themselves had to initiate the VLC. The updated law also set a deadline for the former "partially fit" persons to undergo the VLC - until June 5, 2025.

The law is the law, it has to be implemented. But further actions showed how wrong I was that everyone else would do everything within the law. We have already gone through several circles of hell. And it's not over yet.

The first circle of hell: getting a referral to the MEC

On March 17, 2025, in accordance with the Law "On Citizens' Appeals," I sent application No. 20 to my district MCC (hereinafter referred to as the District MCC) with a request to provide me with a referral to the VLC. I wrote the application in such a way that it would be understandable to anyone who could read it.

The calculation was simple - the RTCC had to answer me by April 17. Even if we add in problems with the post office and bureaucratic delays, I will have more than a month to pass the VLK. I should add that shortly before that, I had submitted the results of my latest (at that time) health examinations to the RTCC.

Mistake #1. Who said that the RCCC would comply with the law and provide me with a referral to the VLC for no reason? I did not receive a response from the RCCC either on April 17 or later.

On May 12, I file a complaint with the regional MCC (hereinafter referred to as the regional MCC), in which I ask:

1. To oblige the RTCC to provide me with a response to my application No. 20 of 03/17/2025.

2. Bring to the statutory liability of the RCCC officials (officers) guilty of violating my rights in accordance with the procedure established by Article 24 of the Law of Ukraine "On Citizens' Appeals".

Mistake #2. Why should the RTCC comply with both the Law and the Instruction approved by the order of the Ministry of Defense and consider my complaint on the merits?

In early May 20, I received a response from the JTDC dated May 19. It states that I did not attach a copy of my application to the RTCC to my complaint, which makes it impossible to consider the complaint.

On May 26, I submit another application to the RTCC, explaining that the Instruction on the organization of consideration of appeals does not provide for the provision of all copies of documents. The JTAC is obliged to verify the facts and either satisfy my complaint or reject it, with a mandatory indication of the procedure for appealing the decision. I am attaching a copy of the application to the RTCC with a mark of acceptance of the document by the RTCC. I also ask that the complaint of May 12 be considered in my presence (the law allows this).

Then a lawyer from the RTCC calls me and invites me to the hearing. It seems that they did not expect that I had a copy of the application. Finally, I get a referral to the MEC for May 30. Bingo, the first circle of hell is over!

The second circle of hell: how to get to the VLC

When I arrived at the RTCC on May 30, I was unable to get to the VLC. The guards did not let me in without explanation. I tried to call the police, but they did not come. I filed a complaint with the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, but received a banal response.

On June 2, I first filed a complaint with the Military Law Enforcement Service, and then went to the RTCC. Again, people are not allowed to go to the MLC, but sometimes a nurse comes out and invites someone. In the queue, they advise me to file complaints about the MLC procedure. It's a good idea. I file a complaint with the head of the RTCC, who is supposed to control the medical examination procedure.

PHOTO: vn.20minut.ua

On June 3, I file another complaint with the Military Law Enforcement Service and the Regional MEC regarding the non-admission to the medical examination. Then I went back to the MCC. Again, I fail to get to the MEC. Again, I file a complaint against the head of the RTCC for non-admission to the MEC.

On June 4, a nurse from the RTCC tells me that she will not take me to the VLC. Unexpectedly, I get an appointment with the management of the Regional MEC, where I am offered to go home and wait for a call. In the afternoon, I receive a letter in which the head of the RTCC is asked to ensure that I undergo an HLC.

On June 5, the nurse again refused to take me for the VLC, despite the letter. I again go to the head of the Regional MLC and explain the situation. He assures me that now I will definitely be admitted. A miracle happens: the MLC nurse, without changing her expression, takes me from the street to the MLC. Bingo, the second circle of hell is over!

The third circle of hell: passing the preliminary medical examination

The VLC is very fast. It took me about 1.5 hours. Almost all the doctors gave the same result - no health problems. The neurologist and surgeon did not see anything. This time, the therapist turned out to be the "sighted one", who recognized my overweight. I never got to see a dentist. Also, no one even thought to conduct the tests required by Order 402.

As a result, I was given a referral for June 17 to the regional medical qualification commission to confirm the diagnosis of being overweight. In fact, the MEC at the RTCC recognized me as "almost fit" without seeing my underlying illnesses. And this was despite the fact that I provided copies of the vascular examinations and MRI of my ankle.

The fourth circle of hell: ping-pong instead of finalizing the VLC

The final result of the VLC is the VLC certificate, which records the state of health after the examination.

On June 12, in accordance with Order 402 of the Ministry of Defense, I file a complaint about the poor quality of the VLC through the office of the OTCC to the regional VLC. In the complaint, I describe my illnesses and attach available medical documents.

On June 17, I arrived at the regional MEC on the referral of the district MEC. However, I was sent home, because I was allegedly under personal control because of a letter from the Regional MEC. On June 18, I went to the RTCC again and submitted an application to the MLC, where, in particular, I asked for clarification on what to do next.

On June 23, I receive another piece of paper from the RTCC, inviting me to attend the regional MEC the next day. On June 24, I arrive, but it turns out that the district MEC has not handed over my medical card. I am advised to take the card from there and return. However, the district MCC cannot accept me because I am "not ready". Of course, there were no explanations. On June 25, I filed a complaint with the Regional MEC about the delay in completing my VLK.

In fact, the MQC officials played ping-pong, sending me from office to office.

Circle of hell five, unfinished: continuation of ping-pong and litigation

In early July, I received a letter from the Regional Labor Court stating that my complaint had been transferred to the OTCC. I have been waiting for more than a month, but there has been no response from the JTDC.

On August 28, I submit a request for public information to the OTCC, in which I ask for a copy of the response to my complaint, which was transferred by the Regional HLC to the OTCC. Again, I receive no response.

I come across an interesting court decision. The person had been fighting for almost eight months to pass the MLC. When she finally passed, the MCC tried to impose a fine of 25.5 thousand hryvnias on her "for not passing the VLC on time." Fortunately, the court canceled this fine. This reminds me of something...

On December 8, I filed a lawsuit against the JCCC with the Odesa District Administrative Court through the "electronic court". In the lawsuit, I ask the court to oblige the JTCC to respond to my complaint, which was sent to it by the Regional MLC. The court asks me to eliminate the deficiencies in the document and eventually accepts my claim on December 17.

This time we have a quick response. The RTCC sends me a summons to "clarify the data" with an arrival date of December 25. When I arrived at the RCCC address, I found out that I actually had to go to the ASC, where there were also RCCC employees.

At the ASC, I did find representatives of the RCCC. However, it took them a long time to tell me why I came. After thinking for a minute, they decided to let me go home. At least here I received a written confirmation.

On January 13, 2026, I received a phone call inviting me to the RCCC. At the meeting, I am offered to initiate the VLC myself. For its part, the RTCC is unwilling to take the initiative and provide me with a referral for an VLC.

At the end of January 2026, the RTCC filed a response to my claim. It was a set of legally insignificant stamps confirming their illegal activities. Among other things, the JTCC noted that it had forwarded my complaint to the RTCC with numerous violations. I described all of these violations in my response to the review. Later, this information was included in the reasoning part of the court decision.

On February 11, a judge of the Odesa District Administrative Court ruled in my favor, granting my claim and ordering the RTCC to consider the merits of my complaint of June 25, 2025, and provide a written response to this complaint. However, the court's decision comes into force within 30 days, which are given for a possible appeal.

On March 12, the OTCC filed an appeal against the decision of the court of first instance. But it does so in a peculiar way, without paying the court fee. On March 16, the Fifth Administrative Court of Appeal rules that the appeal is not allowed due to the lack of payment of the court fee, giving the OCCC a period of 10 days to eliminate the deficiencies.

To summarize.

Today, it has been a year since I filed my first application for this damned VLK. As you can see from the description of my wanderings, neither the TCC nor the MLC at the TCC want to work as it is written in the legislation.

Even if the Odesa Regional TCC does not pay the court fee for filing an appeal and the decision of the court of first instance enters into force, this will not be the end of my passage through the MLC. I will be provided with a written response to the complaint of June 25, 2025, on taking measures aimed at completing the OPC to determine the degree of fitness for military service. And it is not known what kind of answer there will be and what measures will be taken. Even if the answer is perfect, I will have to finish the VLC and see which of my diseases will be indicated in the VLC certificate. If the Court of Appeal finds that the DECC should not respond to the complaint, I will have to apply to the Regional MEC and ask them to respond to my complaint.

In any case, I may face further circles of hell. I may have to provide evidence of health problems. At the same time, the MLC and TCC, of course, have access to the Helsi system. I also provided information about changes in my health condition to the RTCC in accordance with Article 38, paragraph 11 of the Law of Ukraine "On Military Duty and Military Service".

I hope that I will not have to go through all nine circles of Dante's Inferno. Do you think this is how the legislator envisioned the work of the bodies responsible for military registration?

Сергій Бондаренко