"Officials at checkpoints were selling delays. The GBR has exposed employees of the Odesa Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support."
Employees of the Odessa District Military Registration and Enlistment Office reportedly demanded money from conscripts at checkpoints. In return, they offered "assistance" in processing deferments from mobilization.
This information was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing the press service of the State Bureau of Investigation.
According to the SBI, employees of the Odessa Military Registration and Enlistment Office stopped men at checkpoints and informed them that they planned to take them to the military enlistment office for mobilization. However, they then offered to "release" the conscripts and assist in obtaining a deferment for $4,500.
0 1 2 Photo: detention of scheme participants (dbr.gov.ua)
"In case of refusal to pay, the men were threatened with being put on a wanted list," law enforcement officials added.
The SBI clarified that a fact of extortion was established against a man whose relatives went missing in the war, which was why he had a deferment.
On November 21, SBI officers detained one of the intermediaries while receiving money for the "service." The question of detaining and informing other scheme participants of suspicion is currently being resolved.
The detained individual was informed of suspicion regarding the receipt of unlawful benefits by an official. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
Additionally, during a search of a premises belonging to one of the potential participants, he drew a service weapon and aimed it at law enforcement officers. After this, the man demanded the return of his seized mobile phone and insisted they leave his house.
The perpetrator was detained and charged with an attempt on the lives of law enforcement officers, which could result in life imprisonment. The question of the preventive measure is being resolved.
Schemes in the Military Registration and Enlistment Office
Recall that it was previously reported that the head of the district military registration and enlistment office in the Transcarpathian region allegedly demanded money from conscripts for fake health issue documents.
Moreover, according to the SBI, officials from the Holosiivskyi RTC and SP in Kyiv were selling "white tickets." More than $1 million in cash was found at their homes.