20.05.2024
Мobilization
Who finances the TCC and the hunt for evaders? Profiteering from war and the monopoly of the military commissars
The Kharkiv ТCC published a rebuttal in response to our post about the deliberate failure of local officials to enter information into the Oberig register in order to extort undue benefits from men. In the good tradition, the main argument of the recruitment center was the hostile PSYOP and anti-state activities. In addition, the Kharkiv ТCC questioned the human rights goal of the NGO and the sources of its funding.
Why is any unfavorable information perceived as PSYOP?
Have you noticed that any information that is unfavorable and incriminating is increasingly perceived by the authorities and law enforcement as PSYOP? Moreover, we are not talking about pro-Russian narratives (which are an obvious element of racist propaganda), but criticism and information, the disclosure of which can hinder the implementation of certain schemes and “cover the trough.” Of course, such prospects are not acceptable to the main corrupt officials and criminals. That is why such information is immediately recognized by the protagonists as PSYOP.
What is a TCC and why are they often called private organizations?
Often, online sources refer to TCCs and JVs as private commercial organizations. However, one can argue with this thesis. Let us consider this issue from the point of view of legislation.
On the eve of Russia’s invasion, the government of Ukraine approved Regulation No. 154 on territorial recruitment and social support centers (TСCs and JVs), which are intended to replace the Soviet system of military commissariats.
According to paragraph 1 of the Regulation: “Territorial centers of recruitment and social support are bodies of military administration that ensure the implementation of legislation on military duty and military service, mobilization training and mobilization.”
Direct management and control of territorial recruitment and social support centers is carried out by the relevant operational commands, and general management – by the Land Forces Command of the Armed Forces, which coordinates the main issues of the territorial recruitment and social support centers with the relevant structural units of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defense.
Who finances the ТСС?
Financial and material support for activities related to the performance of military duty carried out by territorial recruitment and social support centers is provided at the expense and within the limits of the state budget, as well as other sources not prohibited by law.
The personnel of the territorial centers of recruitment and social support, as well as transport and material and technical means of these territorial centers of recruitment and social support are maintained at the expense of the budget of the Ministry of Defense.
That is, the TCC and JV are not private commercial entities. Consequently, the responsibility for crimes and corruption that currently prevails in this structure lies entirely with the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Who will be responsible for corruption in the TCC?
In our post on the Kharkiv JCCC and JV, we wrote that in the Industrial and Novobovarsky districts of Kharkiv, military commissariats deliberately do not enter men’s data into the Oberig system. Later, they demanded $1,200 for not delivering the summons and entering the data into the system so that the inscription “wanted” would not appear in the Reserve+ app in the future.
Although the Kharkiv JCCC and JV called this information an information on the system of public service announcements, the fact remains that corruption in recruitment centers is only growing. Here are some examples to understand the scale:
Artem Trebesov, the head of the Lozova assembly center, bought a brand new BMW X6 for 100 thousand dollars with honestly earned bribes. And his wife flaunts expensive vacations and fur coats worth $25,000. According to the information received, the head of the TCC purchased the luxury car through illegal activities, namely, forging military tickets and disability documents.
And the former head of the Dnipro regional military enlistment office has acquired assets worth over UAH 8.8 million since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. During the period of hostilities, he accumulated property worth almost UAH 9 million.
Yevhen Borysov, the military commissar of Odesa region, allegedly bought a villa in Marbella (Spain) for almost €4 million for his retired mother, as well as an office worth up to €2 million, and issued documents for his wife. “He sold ‘white tickets’, stole from the military, and his son works in the Odesa SBU office. A ‘white ticket’ cost 5 thousand… Relatively speaking, 2,000 Odessans who bought a ‘white ticket’ paid between €5 and €10,000, and he earned €10-20 million.”
The Sambir military commissar was found guilty of illicit enrichment of UAH 4.4 million. According to the NACP, it was established that the declarant and his wife purchased a number of real estate objects in 2020-2022.
Finally, in Kharkiv, an employee of the military registration and enlistment office and his accomplice helped to evade mobilization for money. It was an officer of one of the Kharkiv territorial centers for recruitment and social support and a former terrorist fighter. The men estimated their “services” at 3-5 thousand US dollars. In exchange for the money, they promised their “clients” to falsify the conclusion of the military medical commission and thus get a deferral from mobilization, and for some of them even avoid the draft altogether.
In other words, the stories of enrichment by TCC employees are not isolated and are spreading throughout Ukraine. But who was actually punished? The last question is more rhetorical.
Is hunting for the undesirables the main rule of the TCC?
Cases of mobilization of “undesirable” or disadvantageous individuals are becoming more frequent. For example, in Odesa, local activist Nazar Uzhviy was forcibly sent to the TCC.
And the head of the NGO “Non-Stop” is now wanted. Although the latter has quite legitimate and confirmed grounds for the delay. Such actions are explained by the reluctance of local authorities to take responsibility for their own actions. For example, for Oleh Syniehubov (head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration), “Non-Stop” is a bone in his throat, especially after the exposure of billions of dollars in embezzlement at the Kharkiv region’s fortifications.
Therefore, it is not surprising that now the head of the NGO “Non-Stop” is called a “fugitive” without any legal grounds.
However, over the years of human rights activism, we have learned to resist pressure and measures of influence. We are preparing a new investigation to reveal corruption schemes of enrichment of top officials of Kharkiv region on the basis of strengthening the region and reconstruction.
It will be online soon.
I have information about corruption during mobilization – where to go?
The team of the NGO “Non-Stop” will help to fight abuses and corruption committed by TCC employees and law enforcement officers within the law. We will cover our activities in the media so that everyone can protect their rights.
Report any violations you know about to the chatbot or email info.nonstopukraine@gmail.com
Did you witness a crime?
Let us know about it. We will help protect the violated rights!
Share the post:
Last news
-
30 August 2024Utility scams
-
31 July 2024Business of Occupiers Investigations
-
29 July 2024Kharkiv Money laundering Tenders
-
27 July 2024Ecology Kharkiv
-
23 July 2024Business of Occupiers Kharkiv
-
17 July 2024Construction Corruption Kyiv
-
16 July 2024Business of Occupiers Kharkiv
-
15 July 2024Money laundering