Doctors in Kyiv Charged in $18,000 Draft Evasion Scheme

Three Doctors Face Charges in Military Mobilization Fraud

According to Главком: Police in Kyiv have formally charged three doctors for their alleged roles in an organized scheme to help men evade military conscription. The criminal group's activities were uncovered in August 2025. The suspects include a cardiologist, a pulmonologist, and an ultrasound diagnostics specialist. They are accused of providing falsified medical reports of severe illnesses, which were intended to serve as grounds for removal from military registration. This case highlights ongoing challenges with corruption and mobilization as Ukraine continues its defense against the ongoing invasion.

Details of the Criminal Operation

According to police, the scheme involved coaching conscription-age men on specific disease symptoms, providing them with comprehensive medical examinations, and even fake in-patient treatment. The total cost for these services was $18,000 USD, with payments made in stages for each completed action. The three doctors have been notified of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 354 of Ukraine's Criminal Code. Their accomplices, who directed clients to the specialists, were charged earlier.

In a separate but related case in Kyiv, a citizen was detained on suspicion of aiding illegal draft evasion and attempting to influence court decisions. This suspect allegedly promised a conscript that he could arrange for the removal of a search warrant from the 'Oberih' information system, receiving 95,700 hryvnias for his services. Police reiterated that the suspects offered clients forged medical conclusions about supposedly serious illnesses to facilitate their removal from military rolls.

This case underscores the serious issue of draft evasion, which remains a pressing concern in Ukraine against the backdrop of active military conflict.

The exposure of such schemes demonstrates the active efforts of law enforcement to combat corruption and abuses within the medical sector, particularly under wartime conditions. Further investigations may lead to additional revelations and changes in how medical institutions and their specialists are monitored.