Ukraine police detain foreign national over draft evasion scheme in Lviv

Ukraine’s National Police say they have uncovered a scheme in the western Lviv region involving the alleged organisation of illegal conscription evasion arrangements for men liable for military service.

In a statement published on its Telegram channel, the National Police of Ukraine said a 48-year-old foreign national with a residence permit in Ukraine is suspected of orchestrating the scheme, which involved arranging fictitious cultural and artistic tours to enable men to leave the country, Caliber.Az reports.

Authorities said the suspect registered conscription-age men in the “Shlyakh” online system—used to authorise cross-border travel—as members of a musical group allegedly travelling on tour in European Union countries.

According to investigators, the cost of participation in the scheme ranged from $8,000 to $12,000 per person, depending on the arrangement.

Police added that the suspect was detained while allegedly receiving an advance payment from one of the participants presented as a “sound engineer.” The investigation into the case is ongoing, authorities said.

By Sabina Mammadli