In Zakarpattia, a draft dodger got drunk on the day of his military service departure. He was given a probationary period

The court in the Zakarpattia region sentenced a man to probation for evading conscription by getting drunk on the day of his military service deployment.

This information was stated in the verdict of the Khust District Court in the Zakarpattia region.

According to the court’s findings, in January 2023, the man was deemed fit for military service, following which he received a military draft notice. The suspect claimed that he was forcibly taken to the military enlistment office, where he underwent a medical examination. He was then handed a “combat summons,” but on that day, he was unable to report for duty due to being intoxicated.

“Approximately on January 19 or 20, 2023, he doesn’t exactly remember the date, workers again took him from his home to the military enlistment office, kept him in the basement to prevent escape, inflicted bodily harm, knocked out his teeth, after which he was taken to the hospital where his wounds were stitched. Later, he was sent to Uzhhorod to a military unit. From there, he was returned to Khust. After that, he was put into reserve, for which a corresponding summons was issued. Throughout 2023, he appeared at the military enlistment office several times, but he was not sent to any military unit,” according to the defendant’s statement recorded in the verdict.

During the trial, military enlistment officials confirmed that the man was indeed deemed fit and was handed a draft notice, but he did not show up for further military service. One of the military units also provided written confirmation that they refused to accept the man for service.

During the case proceedings, medical experts confirmed that the suspect has had an alcohol dependency since 2015 and is under the care of a narcologist. The Khust District Hospital confirmed that the defendant “from May 11, 2023, to May 18, 2023, was hospitalized in the psychiatric ward” due to alcoholism and seizures.

The court found the man guilty under Part 1 of Article 336 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and sentenced him to 4 years of imprisonment, replaced by a 1-year probationary period. However, the man did not admit his guilt.