The Chervonohrad City Court in Lviv Oblast issued a verdict to two conscripted men for refusing to obey orders. The natives of Mariupol did not want to receive military uniforms and go on deployment. The court sentenced them to 5 years in prison for disobedience.
As stated in the verdict, which was published in the court register in November 2024, the natives of Mariupol, Timur Ch. and Vasyl V., refused to follow the orders of their military unit commander in May of this year, specifically declining to receive military uniforms and go on deployment. Two criminal proceedings were initiated against them for disobedience and desertion, as they were detained after being released from the pre-trial detention center while attempting to illegally cross the border with Moldova.
In court, both defendants did not admit their guilt. They explained that their religious beliefs prevented them from taking up arms and killing people. Timur Ch. and Vasyl V. stated that they immediately informed their military unit that they were willing to serve but would not take up arms. The defendants claimed they did not refuse to obey orders because they had not taken an oath and supposedly were not military personnel. They both insisted that they had not undergone military training and did not possess military IDs. Regarding their attempt to illegally cross the border with Moldova, one of the men declined to comment, stating that after being released from the pre-trial detention center, he had no obligation to return to the military unit, while the other insisted he had no intention of fleeing.
One of the military personnel questioned in court testified that the defendants were mobilized back in January 2024, were deemed partially fit for service, and could work as cooks or engineers, remaining outside of combat zones. According to an officer from the moral and psychological support department, the men refused to receive uniforms, declined to take an oath at the training base in Volyn, and later refused to go on deployment. A criminal case was opened against them, and after paying bail and being released from the pre-trial detention center, they were detained while attempting to flee abroad.
The case was examined by Judge Vitaliy Hrabovskyi, who reviewed all case materials and arguments from both sides. In particular, he noted that the defendants were assigned the positions of carpenter and bricklayer in the construction department, indicating they were not intended for combat roles. Despite this, they refused to obey orders, claiming they were not military personnel.
He found Timur Ch. and Vasyl V. guilty of disobedience, sentencing them to 5 years in prison. The judge also dismissed the charges of desertion due to insufficient evidence of a crime. The verdict can still be appealed.