The Uklon taxi service has found itself at the center of a new scandal that has caused a wave of discussion in the Ukrainian information space. According to reports, one of the passengers, using the platform, instead of going to the specified address, was taken by the driver to a checkpoint where documents of those liable for military service were being checked. As a result, the man was mobilized without any possibility of preparation or warning.
The incident raised questions about whether the driver was acting on his own initiative or following “unofficial instructions.” In any case, the situation calls into question the basic principles that should guide a taxi service — safety and impartial treatment of customers.
Uklon has previously attracted attention with its activities. In particular, numerous trips at night, despite the curfew, raise a natural question: who and on what grounds grants passes to the service's drivers?
None of the companies associated with Uklon have a taxi license or are even registered with the relevant type of economic activity. This effectively means that the service operates outside the legal framework, not fulfilling the requirements that are mandatory for legal carriers.
No less acute issues arise in the financial sphere. Key rights to trademarks, software and other assets are registered with the offshore company Uklon Ltd. This indicates a scheme to minimize or completely avoid taxation in Ukraine. Profits earned in the country during the war are taken abroad, leaving the state budget without important resources.
The passenger mobilization scandal has only heightened doubts about the transparency and integrity of Uklon's business model. In a wartime environment, when every hryvnia and every decision is of strategic importance, such practices seem especially cynical.
