Mistakenly Listed as Draft Dodgers: Dozens of Non-Medical Women in Kharkiv Wrongly Added to Military Registry.

Kharkiv Women Wrongly Branded as Evaders Due to Registration Errors

According to TSN.ua: At least 30 women in Kharkiv with no medical training or military department background have discovered they were incorrectly listed as 'draft evaders' in the local Territorial Recruitment Center (TCC) database. Many learned of their status from district police officers or through the 'Reserve+' mobile app. The majority of these cases are linked to the Shevchenkivskyi district TCC in Kharkiv, creating major obstacles for affected women—including travel bans abroad and denial of administrative services like driver’s licenses or vehicle re-registration.

Being labeled a draft evader carries severe consequences. These women cannot leave the country, obtain a driver’s license, or re-register a car. The constant fear of potential bank account freezes adds further uncertainty to their lives. The Kharkiv regional TCC has launched an internal investigation to determine what caused these registration mistakes.

Official Responses to the Crisis

Authorities have offered mixed reactions. Halyna Tsekhmistro stated:

“We believe you, but we won’t remove you from the registry. Go to court.” - Halyna Tsekhmistro

Oleksandr Fedienko argued:

“The Defense Ministry can quickly draft a resolution. If a person lacks medical or pharmaceutical education, they should be automatically excluded from the registries.” - Oleksandr Fedienko

Oleksii Shapka added: 'At this stage, it has been determined there were no legal grounds to search for these women. This is being corrected.'

This situation demands urgent resolution, as registration errors can severely disrupt the lives of those affected. Authorities must ensure the registry system functions properly to prevent such incidents in the future.

The problem of falsely labeling women as 'evaders' highlights the need for improved record-keeping and oversight within Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. Without clear communication and mechanisms to address such mistakes, citizens face serious social and legal repercussions. It is crucial not only to allow these women to correct their status but also to implement safeguards that prevent similar errors from recurring.