Thousands of Euros: how and who extorts money from soldiers for discharge from the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Many Ukrainian military personnel, attempting to be discharged from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) due to health reasons, encounter extortion during military medical examinations.

Ukrainian media report this.

According to interviewed military personnel who have suffered injuries, trauma, or illness, when attempting to undergo examination, they often face corruption at all levels – from immediate superiors and unit commanders to members of military medical commissions in rear hospitals.

“When a serviceman is injured, he is forced to prove that he is not a liar. Firstly, his commander must confirm that during the injury or trauma, his subordinate was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Secondly, that the soldier was wearing body armor and a helmet at the time of the injury. Thirdly, that the injured soldier was on duty and signed a document confirming his duty. This is the so-called certificate of injury or illness circumstances. And everything depends on the honesty of the commander and relations with superiors. Otherwise, if you don’t agree to pay money, they may write that the injury was accidental or even caused by alcohol consumption or failure to follow safety procedures. In this case, regardless of how severe the consequences for health are, it will be impossible to resign from the army by decision of the Military Medical Commission (MMC) and, most importantly, to receive monetary compensation for the injury after discharge. But this is only the first stage of torment. Even if a serviceman receives a referral from the unit to the MMC, he will face more widespread extortion from commission members,” said Chief Sergeant of the AFU, Yuriy U.

“In 2023, I suffered a severe concussion and was sent to the hospital for examination and treatment. Treatment was carried out in several neurology hospitals, but the consequences of the concussion did not disappear. After treatment, I was recognized as partially fit for further service and was subsequently placed out of the staff, on disposal. This means that you are in a suspended state, serving only on paper, and receiving minimal pay. I tried to resign due to health reasons, but the MMC refused, leaving me in the same partially fit status. One of the MMC members hinted: well, the issue can be resolved for three thousand dollars – for this price, they will examine and recognize my diagnosis as an injury. I had to act differently: I received a referral to a civilian neuropsychiatric clinic for examination, and the diagnosis of “consequences of concussion” was made, according to which I am completely unfit for service. It cost less, about one and a half thousand dollars,” said Sergeant of the AFU, Alexander V.

But it is even more difficult to resign from the AFU if serious illnesses were obtained or old illnesses worsened as a result of service – that is, not due to injury. In such cases, military personnel more often encounter bribery at military medical commissions when attempting to resign from service.

“Since the beginning of the war, I volunteered to serve in the Territorial Defense Forces, although I was already 55 years old. In two years, due to wearing heavy body armor and ammunition, an old spine disease – vertebral arthrosis – worsened. Also, the knee joints suffered. I easily received a referral from the unit to the hospital. In the hospital, I was referred to the MMC with a diagnosis of spinal and knee joint arthrosis of the third degree. But at the MMC, I was told that such a diagnosis does not entitle me to discharge and monetary compensation. In the hospital, I was advised that the issue could be resolved, and the necessary decision of the MMC obtained. Initially, they asked for one hundred thousand hryvnias for this. I had to bargain with the intermediary – a hospital medical worker. We settled on sixty thousand hryvnias. I underwent examination, resigned, and received a monetary payment, which covered the bribe. The decision stated that the illness was obtained as a result of performing military duty. If the formulation had been that the illness was obtained simply during military service, I would have received half as much,” former soldier K. recounted.

According to interviewed military personnel who underwent military medical examinations for discharge due to health reasons, the main factor of corruption among medical personnel became the well-known Order No. 402 of the Ministry of Defense “On approval of the Regulation on military medical examination in the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” which members of military medical commissions interpret freely and often use for their own benefit.

In social networks, there are many stories of AFU fighters after injury who cannot receive a decision from the military medical commission and disability for a long time. Consequently, they are deprived of lawful payments and social benefits. And in case of refusal of the commission to give approval for resignation, they remain in a suspended state, receiving minimal salaries or not receiving them at all, as they are placed out of the staff and are not in a military position.

Valeriy Sudakov, a candidate of legal sciences and lawyer, also speaks about the widespread corruption during military medical commissions.

“Corruption in military medical commissions is not a new problem. Order No. 402 of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on the procedure for military medical examination contains all the signs of subjectivity, and this is the main factor. The order contains a list of diseases and injuries entitling a person to be recognized as unfit for service. There are objective injuries and wounds, such as limb amputation, loss of eyes, or some organs. But the same list includes, for example, concussions, brain concussions, and many other conditions, the assessment of which is often subjective. And here everything depends on the individual opinions of commission members, who can decide at their discretion whether a person is fit for service or not. This circumstance is the main factor of corruption. Much also depends on the person himself, for example, if a person asks: can it be arranged for me to be unfit for service? They answer: yes. And they mention amounts. In other cases, a person is actually unfit for service due to the diagnosis, but he is refused at the commissions and the amount is also voiced,” the lawyer said.