Charges Brought Against Three Heads of State Urban Planning Institute
The Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office has formally charged three senior officials from the State Research and Design Institute of Urban Planning. The allegations involve organizing sham employment to help individuals evade military conscription, as well as publicly justifying the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
The suspects include:
- the institute's director,
- the first deputy director,
- and the chief accountant.
Procedural oversight of the case is being handled by the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office. The suspects' actions are classified under specific articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, including Article 114-1. According to the investigation, the scheme involved fictitiously employing men, which allowed them to receive draft deferrals without any requirement to actually show up for work. The price for this illegal service was set at $4,000 per person.
Alleged Roles and Potential Penalties
The first deputy director was responsible for processing the military registration documents, while the accountant handled payroll for the non-existent employees. This fraudulent operation is reported to have been active since at least August 2025. Furthermore, the director and first deputy are accused of publicly justifying Russia's armed aggression, a charge under Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code. The potential sentences for these crimes range from 5 to 8 years in prison, with or without confiscation of property.
Two of the suspects have been remanded in custody with the option of posting bail, while the third has been placed under round-the-clock house arrest. The details of the case were released by the press service of the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office.
This case underscores the serious issue of mobilization evasion in Ukraine, a critical challenge for the country as the military conflict continues.
As the prosecutor's investigation proceeds, it may lead to further detentions and expose similar schemes in other institutions. The problem of sham employment for draft dodging points to systemic weaknesses in military registration controls, an area requiring urgent attention from state authorities. This comes at a time when Ukraine is actively strengthening its legal framework to counter evasion and collaboration.
This recent case is reminiscent of another troubling incident involving corruption within military deferral processes. An SBU officer charged with a substantial bribe highlights the ongoing issues related to fraudulent military service exemptions in Ukraine. Such schemes not only undermine the integrity of the military but also pose severe legal consequences for those involved.