A former unit commander in the Khmelnytskyi region is suspected of being involved in a draft evasion scheme
The State Bureau of Investigations has notified a former military unit commander from the Khmelnytskyi region that he is under investigation. According to the investigation, he organized a scheme to evade military service, causing the state to lose approximately 1 million hryvnias. Law enforcement officials claim that instead of performing their duties, the servicemen were working at a car repair shop.
This was reported by the SBI.
Law enforcement officials claim that starting in the fall of 2024, the military unit commander, together with two subordinate commanders of separate subunits, sought out soldiers who formally wanted to be “on duty.”
“These men were offered jobs at a private auto repair shop. In exchange, they were to share their pay with the management and receive money for car repairs,” the statement reads.
According to preliminary estimates, the amount of damage caused to the state totals 1 million UAH. In December 2025, SBI employees shut down the scheme, exposing five individuals while they were working at the auto repair shop.
“Following the incident involving his subordinates, the commander was transferred to a lower-ranking position in another unit. During the pre-trial investigation, investigators determined that the commander not only knew about the crime in his military unit but was, in fact, the main instigator,” the SBI reports.
Currently, the former commander is suspected of:
- Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—abuse of official position resulting in serious consequences, committed by a group of persons acting in concert;
- Part 5 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 28, and Part 4 of Article 409 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—aiding and abetting the evasion of military service duties by military personnel, committed under martial law, by a group of persons acting in concert.
By court order, he was placed under pretrial detention with the possibility of bail. The penalty under this article provides for imprisonment for up to 10 years.
Large-scale schemes to evade mobilization have been uncovered in eight regions.
The SBU uncovered a scheme toevade mobilization through fictitious lyceums.
As a reminder, the organizer of a scheme to smuggle draft dodgers out of the country for $12,000 was detained in Kyiv.
Also, an employee of the Territorial Recruitment Center in Chernihiv Oblast was detained for bribery.
