Ukrainian authorities have charged three medical professionals in Kryvyi Rih for allegedly facilitating draft evasion by providing false medical documentation and unnecessary surgical procedures. The Office of the Prosecutor General announced that these actions were part of a scheme to help individuals avoid military service.
The investigation revealed that the operation was led by a former medical official, with the involvement of the head of the neurology department and a neurosurgeon from a local medical facility. Together, they reportedly arranged for military conscripts to undergo unnecessary hospitalizations and created fraudulent medical records to suggest the presence of serious health conditions.
According to the prosecutor’s office, one case exemplified the operation’s methods. In May 2025, a patient underwent a procedure at a private medical center where the neurosurgeon made incisions on the patient’s back and immediately sutured them, leaving scars that would mimic the aftermath of a legitimate surgery. This service cost the patient approximately $9,000.
The head of the neurology department was responsible for preparing all required documentation for treatments that never occurred. Additionally, the medical professionals falsified examination results, including MRI scans, to support claims for disability classifications.
Following the completion of the fraudulent procedures, the scheme’s organizer instructed clients on how to navigate medical commissions to validate the fabricated diagnoses. Authorities indicated that at least 28 individuals may have benefited from these illegal services.
During searches of the suspects’ premises, law enforcement officials seized $39,500 in cash, mobile devices, medical records, and handwritten notes. The three doctors face charges under Article 332, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which pertains to illegal transportation of individuals across the state border by a group. The neurosurgeon is also charged under Article 407, Part 5, for unauthorized departure from military service.
All three suspects have been placed in custody without bail as the investigation continues.
Three doctors in Ukraine have been charged for their roles in a scheme to help individuals evade military service through fraudulent medical practices. The investigation revealed the involvement of a former medical official and the use of unnecessary surgeries to create false medical documentation.