They sold "exemptions from military service": doctors in Mykolaiv arrested over a disability scheme

Investigative judge of the Central District Court of Mykolaiv, Ivan Dirko considered a motion to apply a preventive measure against a surgeon — a member of the expert team assessing a person’s everyday functioning at one of Mykolaiv’s hospitals — as well as against the orthopedic-traumatologist of the same medical institution.

According to the motion, the surgeon proposed to a person liable for military service to arrange, for monetary compensation, a 3rd group disability, which granted the right to be recognized as temporarily unfit for military service. The amount was 11 thousand US dollars and was to be paid in two parts — 5 thousand and 6 thousand dollars. He involved his colleague — the orthopedic-traumatologist — in this activity.

Subsequently, the suspects prepared medical documents, including those regarding undergoing inpatient treatment, and also instructed the man on simulating symptoms during the expert team’s evaluation. At the same time, the man did not undergo examinations or treatment and did not appear at the medical facility, although the materials contain corresponding conclusions of medical investigations.

After receiving the second tranche in the amount of 6 thousand US dollars, a portion of the funds — 4.5 thousand dollars — was seized from the orthopedic doctor. The total amount seized during searches, including in the office, amounted to about 20 thousand US dollars.

Both medical staff members are also persons with a 3rd group disability.

At the court hearing, the surgeon denied obstructing the activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, while admitting to receiving money for arranging the disability.

“He said he wanted to earn money”

The defense counsel objected to granting the motion, pointing to the unfounded nature of the suspicion and the formal character of the risks, and insisted that a milder preventive measure would ensure the suspect’s proper procedural behavior.

As a result of the consideration, investigative judge Ivan Dirko decided to apply to the suspect a preventive measure in the form of detention. A similar preventive measure was chosen for the other defendant in the proceedings.

Earlier we wrote:

• Dodging military service for money: in Mykolaiv medics sold disability during the war
• Fake medical certificates during the war: in Mykolaiv the former head of MSEK is on trial
• Medical certificate “turnkey”: an official in the Mykolaiv district was caught with $8500
• A prosecutor became “an invalid” in one day – now, together with a doctor, he will go to trial
• For $200 — you won’t go to the war: a doctor from Mykolaiv sold “fake” certificates