Another scheme of daring evasion of service under the guise of military personnel has been exposed in Lviv. Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation, together with the Strategic Investigations Department and the Security Service of Ukraine, brought the leadership of one of the military units to justice. According to the investigation, commanders sold their subordinates “subscriptions” for non-service - the servicemen remained on the staff, but instead of performing their duties, they worked at a service station.
The scheme was organized by two deputy unit commanders and two company commanders. For eight months, from July 2024 to March 2025, they “rented out” seven contract soldiers who did not report for duty and instead worked at private maintenance stations in Lviv and the region. At the same time, all of them were officially registered as servicemen and received financial support, which they transferred to their “benefactors” – unit leaders – as compensation for a “free schedule.”.
The cynicism of the scheme lies in the fact that it involves regular payments for non-existent service against the backdrop of a full-scale war. The commanders' monetary motivation completely overrode the discipline and moral principles of the army.
All four military leaders have been notified of suspicion. They are charged with abuse of power committed in a prior conspiracy by a group of persons. The sanction of the relevant article provides for up to 12 years of imprisonment. Law enforcement officers have already applied to the court with a request to choose a preventive measure and remove the defendants from their positions.
Investigative actions are currently underway to establish the full range of individuals involved in the criminal scheme, as well as to assess the amount of damage caused to the state.
