A group of five people has been uncovered in Kharkiv who are suspected of organising the fraudulent issuance of disability certificates for those liable for military service. According to law enforcement officials, the scheme involved an intermediary and four employees of medical institutions. All those involved have been charged and taken into custody; they face up to eight years’ imprisonment.
Briefly about the main points
- Five people involved in the scheme in Kharkiv have been placed under suspicion.
- Those implicated include doctors and other hospital staff.
- Law enforcement officials believe that around 100 men used the services.
- Over 12 million hryvnias were seized during 40 searches.
- All the suspects have been taken into custody.
How the scheme worked
The group consisted of a middleman, the head of the general medicine department, a neurologist, a hospital operator and a hospital driver. They sought out «clients», prepared false medical documents and ensured these were registered. The men were then unlawfully granted disability status.
Law enforcement officials believe that around 100 conscripts took advantage of this scheme. During the investigation, the following items were seized: forged documents, equipment, rough notes and over 12 million hryvnias in various currencies, which, according to the investigation, may be of criminal origin.
Disability status and the new assessment procedure
People with disabilities are exempt from conscription during mobilisation, although they may enlist on a voluntary contract basis. Consequently, the unlawful acquisition of such status may have been intended to exploit its legal consequences. At the same time, this is not the same as the procedure for removal from military registration following a decision by the Medical Examination Commission.
From 1 January 2025, in Ukraine, instead of MSEC A system for assessing an individual’s day-to-day functioning is in place. Under this system, the attending doctor creates an electronic referral and attaches the relevant documents; staff at the facility check that the file is complete; and a decision is made by a team of experts. The Ministry of Health has also introduced mechanisms to verify the validity of such decisions and to make audio recording of the assessment mandatory from 2026.
This procedure leaves a digital trail at several stages of the case handling process. Consequently, both paper documents and records in the electronic system, as well as the logs of actions taken by healthcare facility staff, may be of potential importance to the investigation.
All five suspects have been remanded in custody. The sentence, as reported by the police, carries a maximum of eight years’ imprisonment.
