An anti-corruption activist Lemenov was chosen a preventive measure in the case of evasion from mobilization.

An anti-corruption activist Lemenov was chosen a preventive measure in the case of evasion from mobilization.

The court has chosen a preventive measure for the anti-corruption activist and founder of the analytical center "StateWatch", Oleksandr Lemenov, who is accused of evading military service and failing to appear at the TRC summons. He was granted bail in the amount of 60,500 UAH – this decision was made by the Bila Tserkva City District Court on December 27, 2024.

In particular, it is stated that Lemenov has a military specialty in "organization of moral and psychological support for troops" and as early as February 2024, the MMC found him fit for military service, writes "Law and Business".

But starting in November, Lemenov avoided visiting the Bila Tserkva TRC, where he is registered, and as a result – was declared wanted. During the pre-trial investigation, he also did not appear before the investigator, which "indicates his improper procedural behavior", noted in the resolution.

And on December 6, when he arrived at the TRC, he was read a summons about the necessity to report to the assembly point and was warned about criminal liability for draft evasion. However, in the presence of witnesses, Lemenov refused to accept the summons and did not appear at the assembly point at the appointed time, not informing of the reasons for his nonappearance.

Already on December 8, Lemenov was notified of suspicion of committing a criminal offense under Article 336 of the Criminal Code, which provides for a penalty of up to 5 years of imprisonment.

"O. Lemenov, fully aware of the martial law on the territory of Ukraine, committed a criminal offense in the field of conscription and mobilization without any conscience or compassion," said the investigative judge when choosing the preventive measure.

The court also questioned witnesses who confirmed the circumstances provided by the investigator.

Lemenov must deposit the bail of 60,500 UAH into the court’s account within 5 days. The court also obliged him to appear at the first summons of the investigator, prosecutor, investigative judge, court, and to inform them about any change of his residence.

It should be noted that this is not the first case when anti-corruption activists avoid fulfilling military duties. This phenomenon has already been called "Shabuning" - after the head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center Vitaliy Shabunin, against whom the State Bureau of Investigations has opened a number of criminal cases, including for evasion of mobilization, forgery of NACP documents, illegal use of humanitarian aid, and appropriation of a Nissan Pathfinder jeep.

According to media reports, many anti-corruption activists and figures evade the army, among them the husband of the head of the Center for Combating Corruption Dariya Kalenyuk, Orest Rudyi, Mykhaylo Zhernakov, journalists Yuriy Butusov, Yuriy Nikolov, Maksym Savchuk, Maksym Opanasenko, Oleksandr Notevskyi, son of Petro Poroshenko – Oleksiy, his lawyer Ihor Holovan, and others.