August 18, 2026. Law enforcement agencies in Ukraine have uncovered a large-scale scheme to falsify mobilization data, organized by officials of the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (TCC). During a joint operation by prosecutors and police in the Chernivtsi, Ternopil, and Zakarpattia regions, more than 400 cases of entering false information into the state 'Obereg' registry were identified.
Scale of falsifications: 446 fake mobilizations
Investigators from the specialized prosecutor's offices of the Western region established that TCC officials artificially inflated the indicators of mobilization task completion. To do this, they used their electronic signatures and administrative access to the unified registry of conscripts. The documents listed citizens who were not actually mobilized, as well as those who had already served their term and were not subject to remobilization.
In total, the investigation documented 446 cases of fake mobilization. This indicates a systemic nature of violations, where statistics are more important than the actual replenishment of the army ranks. The Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG) confirmed that such actions are classified as abuse of office and document forgery.
Investigation details by region
The most indicative cases were identified in three regions. In the Chernivtsi region (Bukovina), a 35-year-old former head of a district TCC, between January and March 2026, entered 99 fake mobilizations into the registry. Part of the data he fabricated himself, and part he copied from information about active servicemen, creating an illusion of the center's successful work.
In the Ternopil region, a 39-year-old former head of a district TCC in March 2026 processed mobilization for 18 people. Among the 'conscripts' was a serviceman who had already died by that time, and a defender who was in enemy captivity. This proves that officials did not check the status of citizens, but merely mechanically filled out the registry for reporting purposes.
The most massive deal was recorded by law enforcement in the Zakarpattia region. According to the investigation, the scheme was organized by a 36-year-old deputy head of a district TCC. The group included the acting head of the center, his deputy, and operators of one of the departments. They entered people who had already undergone mobilization into the registry and processed a supposed second call-up and medical examination for them.
Contradictory data
During the investigation, discrepancies arose regarding the motives and the volume of bribes. According to the official version of the OPG, the main goal of the officials was to inflate statistics for reporting to the leadership. However, during recent searches conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) at the end of July 2026 in more than a hundred TCCs across Ukraine, investigators were looking for evidence of receiving bribes for evading mobilization.
There is a version that fake mobilizations could be used as a way of 'washing' data: creating an appearance of active conscription, officials could cover up cases of illegal deferment or exemption from service for money. At the beginning of August, the National Police reported suspicions against 76 TCC heads, but the exact link between these cases and the case of fake mobilizations in the western regions has not yet been fully revealed.
Preventive measures and consequences
Preventive measures have already been selected for most of the defendants. The question of the preventive measure for the former head of the TCC in the Ternopil region is still being decided in court. Investigators are also checking the legality of the deferment of almost two and a half thousand military personnel, which could lead to new revelations.
These events are taking place against the backdrop of tightening control over the activities of TCCs. At the end of July 2026, the SBI, together with the General Staff, conducted large-scale searches, interested not only in corruption but also in cases of beating military personnel. Law enforcement officers seized cars and significant amounts of cash from officials in 16 regions of Ukraine.
