The Security Service of Ukraine reports the exposure of a scheme of fictitious enrollment of students of military age, organized by the vice-rector of one of the Kharkiv universities. According to the special service, the 46-year-old official, who is a non-partisan deputy of the regional council and previously had ties to a banned pro-Russian party, involved two colleagues from another educational institution in illegal activities.
The investigation established that throughout 2024, the defendants fictitiously enrolled individuals as “students” and entered false information into the Unified State Electronic Database on Education (UEDEBO). On the basis of forged documents, evaders were illegally granted deferrals from military service. None of the aforementioned “students” actually attended classes or took exams. The investigation documented at least seven episodes of such activity.
As part of the criminal proceedings, 36 searches were conducted in Kharkiv at the places of work and residence of the suspects. During the investigative actions, documents, draft records, and mobile phones with evidence of illegal activities were seized. The vice-rector and two of his accomplices were detained.
Investigators also found that the official maintained contacts with former members of banned pro-Russian parties and active participants in the 2014 “Kharkiv Spring” who are currently in Russia. According to the investigation, the detainee planned to move to Moscow and was looking for real estate there worth an estimated half a million US dollars.
Based on the evidence collected, all three were notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (obstruction of the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during a special period, committed by a group of persons in a prior conspiracy). Under this article, the defendants face a penalty of up to eight years in prison.
Investigative and operational measures are ongoing: law enforcement officers are checking the involvement of other individuals in the scheme and resolving issues related to the cancellation of illegally issued deferrals from mobilization. The complex actions were carried out by SBU officers in the Kharkiv region under the procedural guidance of the regional prosecutor's office.
