Ukrainian Security Service Busts Draft Evasion Ring Operating Within Military Hospital

Military Hospital Scheme Dismantled

According to Главком: In a joint operation, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), the Office of the Prosecutor General, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces have dismantled a draft evasion scheme operating out of the Main Military Clinical Hospital of the Armed Forces. A senior official from the hospital's security and defense organization center was detained for fraudulently enlisting individuals into service. The investigation revealed that this official embezzled 2.6 million hryvnias by placing acquaintances on his unit's payroll who never actually reported for duty.

Financial Losses and Legal Consequences

This official had been running his fraudulent operation since May 2022, resulting in significant financial losses. During searches of his office, money and documentation confirming his criminal activity were seized. The suspect has been formally charged under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for misappropriation of property through abuse of office on a particularly large scale. He has been remanded in custody and faces a potential sentence of up to 12 years in prison with property confiscation. This crackdown occurs as Ukraine continues to strengthen its military forces against the ongoing Russian invasion.

Furthermore, two clients of the detained official have been charged with evading military service through self-inflicted injury or other means during martial law. They face up to 10 years of imprisonment. The Main Military Clinical Hospital is located in Kyiv at 18 Hospitalna Street. It is also notable that in August 2025, a separate criminal group was exposed, leading to charges against three doctors: a cardiologist, a pulmonologist, and an ultrasound diagnostics doctor.

This case underscores the serious issue of mobilization evasion in Ukraine, particularly during the ongoing military conflict.

Authorities are actively combating corruption schemes that could undermine the country's defense capabilities, and this arrest is part of a broader campaign to expose such criminal practices. These incidents can erode public trust in military institutions, making it crucial that those responsible are held accountable for their actions.