MP discusses low salaries, corruption in VLK, and fair mobilization, while highlighting concerns about busification in TCK.

In November of last year, the Verkhovna Rada established a temporary investigative commission to address violations of legislation in the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces. For an entire year, this parliamentary oversight body examined the observance of military rights, and recently, the commission finally published its report, which turned out to be quite scandalous. Evasion of mobilization with the assistance of TCС employees, "fake" deferments, corruption in the Armed Forces – this is just a partial list of the issues raised by the members of parliament.

Why do commanders demand money from ordinary soldiers, how does parliament envision solutions to the problematic mobilization issues, and will TCСs be disbanded as some commission members suggest? About this, "Telegraf" spoke with the head of the investigative commission, member of parliament from the "Party "For the Future" group, Anna Skorokhod.

"TCС complain about their low salaries"

– Anna, can you name the top 3 complaints from military personnel that have been brought to your attention in the commission?

– Corruption in the army, extortion of money from the guys, barring them from undergoing the military medical commission and treatment. Most often, it is the non-payment of monetary allowances or payment in incomplete amounts.

– Extortion of money for what?

– For leave, to avoid going to the front lines, to attend the military medical commission, or to be allowed to take a few days off. There are stories where money was collected from the guys to balance the salary levels of the command. That is, they [the command] are not on the front lines, do not receive the "hundred" (100,000 hryvnias combat pay – Ed.), and they collected money from the guys to equalize their salaries. And this is despite the fact that what is done in the rear and at the front are completely different matters.

There are various situations. For example, when there is a "common fund" and the guys contribute a certain amount monthly, using that money for fuel, repairs, additional gear, which the state does not cover, this can be understood. This is for improving service in the unit. But when they demand money to go on leave or to balance salaries – that is simply unacceptable.

– Previously, while presenting the report, you mentioned that there is extortion for deferments or dismissals. What amounts are we talking about?

– It varies by region. The amounts are completely different: from $10,000 and higher, depending on the "service".

– Have you received complaints from TCС employees, and what were their grievances?

– The main complaint from TCС employees is their low salary and the fact that they are demonized, leading to a decrease in public trust in them. It is popularized in society that TCС is a source of evil. But we have repeatedly told them that the way people regard you is a reflection of your behavior towards people.

– Can you tell us about the most common practices of evading mobilization with the help of TCС and the military medical commission? What has the parliamentary investigative commission encountered?

– Typically, this involves being excused from service due to health reasons in conjunction with the military medical commission. Or they grant deferments based on non-existent documents, for example, claiming a close relative has died, but in reality, that is not the case. There have been instances where you are simply added to the lists and do not receive a summons. If you are on the list – you do not get a summons. If you are not on the list – you receive a summons. There are also cases where summons were sold, meaning blank forms with stamps and signatures. This is so that when you are stopped at a checkpoint, you can present that you already have a summons. Or TCС sets a monthly amount that the enterprise pays to avoid mobilizing its employees. If you are not on the list – everyone is taken, and the enterprise is not allowed to operate. They use lawyers to get out of serving. There are completely different, individual cases.

But I want to emphasize that not all TCСs should be demonized. There are TCСs that work perfectly fine, that listen and do not engage in the kind of lawlessness that others allow themselves.

– The so-called "busification" . How do these cases end? Are there any court sentences against those involved in this "busification"?

– I am not aware of that. In the best case, if a person genuinely has a deferment, they manage to be taken out of TCС. But usually, 99.9% of such individuals are mobilized, then they go for training, get assigned to a unit, and most of them, who are not ready to fight, simply go AWOL. The mass exodus from the armed forces has increased today due to the lack of motivated individuals.

People largely do not understand what they are getting into [by joining the army]. And everyone has already psychologically settled that they are going one way. This needs to change. We need to establish a legally defined term of service, so that individuals understand how long they will serve and that they can resign at a certain point.

– You mentioned a mass exodus. What are the scales?

– The numbers have significantly increased now. I am not authorized to disclose them, but they are staggering. But you know, we even have such exits that cannot be called exits. For example, a person wants to transfer and has a connection to a specific brigade, but they are not allowed to leave. Meanwhile, in their brigade, a conflict with the command has escalated into personal disputes. And they are not allowed to leave. And very often now, people go to the exit, and then return to the unit they wanted to transfer to. And often this is a combat unit, it’s not just that they are transferring to the rear.

All are fit for service

– You mentioned that military medical commission doctors were given an informal directive to declare everyone fit for service. Who issued this directive? TCС leaders or someone else?

– I spoke directly with the doctors, middle management, heads of hospitals, civilian clinics, and it was clearly stated that if you want to continue working in your position or if you want everything to go well for you, then everyone must be declared fit for service. And this is very evident in those who are being mobilized. For instance, I have received three recent cases. The first – a person with severe diabetes, who has a disability, was mobilized, and the military medical commission declared him "fit". The second case – mobilization of a person with childhood disability, schizophrenia, and the military medical commission also deemed him fit. And the third case – a person with autism and other mental disorders. He was also mobilized. There is also a situation where someone was mobilized with very low vision and deafness. And everyone is deemed fit. People tell me: "How could the doctors determine the severity of my diabetes if no one even measured my blood sugar." And indeed, when you undergo the military medical commission in 40 minutes (two hours at best), what can be established in that time? The doctors were given directives from their superiors.

– But we understand that this does not happen out of a good life. It is obvious that the military on the front lines really need to be rotated, there are many wounded.

– Not out of a good life, but the state must understand that a dead soldier costs it 15 million, while a living one can work and pay taxes. Moreover, they can also influence the demographic crisis that we currently face. And treating people like cattle will lead to nothing good.

In addition, we have a very large army. Why are only 15% at best fighting? Why are mobilized individuals fighting? Why are career officers not fighting? Why? Why should some go out, defend the country, shed blood, while others sit in the rear? We must all be equal. The primary thing is unity. And when our society is divided into two parts: those who can "get out" and those who are swept up with minimal preparation and sent to the worst conditions, that is a complete division of society. And it depends on us how this will change. We either all fight or none of us fight. There is no other way.

– There is a myth circulating on social media that TCС employees received a threat: if they do not meet the mobilization plan, they will themselves go to "storm the plantations". Do you know anything about this?

– I do not remember a single recruiting officer fulfilling the plan 100%. Moreover, the plan is a very relative concept. If you do not meet