A doctor in the Kharkiv region was caught helping people avoid military registration in exchange for money
The former head of one of the departments at the Kharkiv Regional Psychiatric Hospital has been notified that he is under suspicion of organizing an illegal scheme to remove a man subject to military service from the military registry.
According to the investigation, the official, in exchange for 6,500 U.S. dollars, helped issue a fictitious diagnosis that was intended to serve as the basis for removing the man from military registration.
“The former head of the psychiatric department has been notified of suspicion of receiving an unlawful benefit for himself and a third party by influencing the decision-making of persons authorized to perform state functions, combined with the extortion of such a benefit (Part 3 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine),” the press service of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office reported.
According to the investigation, in September of last year, the suspect offered to help an acquaintance get removed from military registration. In exchange for money, he guaranteed to influence officials at hospitals, the Medical Examination Commission (VLK), the Regional Military Registration and Enlistment Office (RTZK), and the Specialized Medical Commission (SP) so that they would approve the removal from the registry. He priced all these services at $6,500, which, according to him, was intended for the officials.
During meetings in Kharkiv, the former department head instructed his acquaintance on how to behave during medical examinations and how to feign mental disorders. He arranged for medical examinations and fictitious hospitalizations at a psychiatric hospital without the “patient” actually staying in the inpatient ward. Other people submitted lab results on behalf of the conscript, and all medical reports and referrals were coordinated in advance.
“Before the procedure, the man was instructed not to shave or shower, and to complain of insomnia, memory loss, harassment by neighbors, and phone tapping,” the press service of the regional prosecutor’s office noted.
According to the press service, as a result of these actions, the conscript was placed under psychiatric observation and received medical reports diagnosing him with a “hereditary disease”—acute psychosis, allegedly inherited through the maternal line. Based on the falsified documents, a decision was made to remove him from military registration.
Law enforcement officers conducted authorized searches at the regional psychiatric hospital. The involvement of other medical personnel in the commission of this crime is being investigated.
This was reported by the press service of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
The SBU and the National Police have uncovered 12 mobilization evasion schemes in eight regions.
