Desertion scheme uncovered in Dnipro: suspects include former military unit commander and lawyer. PHOTOS
Under the procedural guidance of the Dnipro Specialised Prosecutor's Office for the Eastern Region, eight individuals have been notified of their suspicion of organising a scheme to facilitate the desertion of military personnel.
Among the suspects are a former military unit commander, a lawyer, a military serviceman, and other civilians, according to Censor.NET.
What is known?
According to the investigation, the group's members sought out military personnel willing to leave the service without permission and organised their illegal removal from their units' locations or medical facilities.
The cost of such "services" ranged from 4 to 15 thousand US dollars.
The soldiers were transported in civilian vehicles to Dnipro, where they hid and did not return to service. When passing through checkpoints, they used ID cards from a non-existent public organisation.
Some of the servicemen or their acquaintances consulted a lawyer on how to avoid service, after which they received the contacts of persons who could organise illegal transportation. In other cases, the servicemen found the so-called "transporters" themselves.
Law enforcement officers documented more than 18 episodes of illegal activity in the Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Lviv and Kyiv regions.
In February 2026, military personnel who had used this scheme were also detained and notified of their status as suspects.
During the searches, equipment, bank cards, documents, rough notes, cash, and Lexus LX, Lexus RX, BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, and Mercedes-Benz cars were seized.
Currently, all eight suspects have been remanded in custody as a preventive measure.
