The founder of the anti-corruption organization StateWatch and activist Oleksandr Lemenov, who is suspected of evading mobilization, has filed an appeal against the preventive measure chosen for him. The appeal hearing is scheduled for January 28, 2025.
Oleksandr Lemenov is charged with evasion of conscription during mobilization, for a special period, in particular, due to refusal to receive a summons and failure to appear at the collection point. According to the decision of the investigating judge of the Bila Tserkva City District Court dated December 27, 2024, he was assigned a preventive measure in the form of a bail in the amount of UAH 60,560. In addition, Lemenov is obliged to regularly appear before the investigator, prosecutor or court upon the first summons and to report a change of residence.
Investigators note that Lemenov, having a military accounting specialty and being recognized as fit for service, deliberately evaded mobilization and did not appear at the assembly point. His refusal to receive a summons was recorded in the presence of two witnesses.
Lemenov was informed of suspicion under Article 336 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which provides for a penalty of up to 5 years in prison. Since the beginning of mobilization, on November 24, 2024, Lemenov has been wanted because he evaded his duties and did not appear at the investigator's summons.
The investigating judge noted that the suspect was aware of the seriousness of the situation the country was in, but deliberately evaded his duties, which violates moral and legal principles in wartime.
This case gains additional resonance due to Lemenov's connection with other anti-corruption activists who also, according to various reports, avoided performing their duties during mobilization. In business circles, this phenomenon has been called "shabuning," after one of the well-known activists.
In particular, it is known that another founder of StateWatch, Gleb Kanevsky, after a long evasion from military service, worked in the Ministry of Defense, where he became a figure in numerous corruption scandals, in particular regarding overpriced purchases for the army.
As it became known, similar cases have occurred among other well-known activists, including the leaders of the Anti-Corruption Center, such as Daria Kaleniuk and Vitaly Shabunin, as well as blogger Yuriy Butusov and others. This raises questions about the ethics of such individuals who claim to fight corruption while at the same time shirk their duties to the state.
