Prominent lawyers, military and public figures have supported handing a notice of suspicion to the head of the Anti-Corruption Center (ACC) Vitalii Shabunin. They called it a manifestation of justice and a demonstration of the equality of all before the law, as well as a signal to mobilized evaders that one may not parasitize on the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Thus, the volunteer, founder of the Return Alive foundation Vitalii Deineha noted that Shabunin, supposedly fighting against double standards, personally acted under the same principle.
"Shabunin and his colleagues accused and smeared those they didn't like. Even if they didn't commit corruption crimes, or (like me, for example) fought corruption of their friends. They whitewashed their allies from accusations of corruption. They instantly forgot that a person was "corrupt" when they needed them and vice versa. These are people for whom our opinion is just a resource in their political struggle for interests. And they, in fact, trade our point of view and are ready to shape it "to suit the customer" with the tools of information attacks and selective justice," he said.
ATO/JFO veteran Oleksandr "Hrom" Hramarchuk said that Shabunin's story undermined the authority of military service.
"It turns out that you are showing by your example that you can evade official duties and continue to muddle business with investigations and high-profile revelations," he emphasized.
Lawyer Oleh Shram also supported the volunteer and soldier.
"A fair "reward" has finally begun to find its "hero" and this is what equality before the Law looks like," he wrote.
Veteran Oleksii Stalker called Shabunin's suspicion an important signal.
"This is a signal to all mobilized evaders from the rear battalion "The Invisible": you may not parasitize on the Armed Forces of Ukraine," he noted.
The Yakovlev military brothers emphasized that if your history is dirty, you have no chance of avoiding responsibility.
"If you stole something somewhere, bought something, evaded service, and the like, sooner or later they will come for you," they stated.
The soldier under the pseudonym Babak emphasized the inadmissibility of political activity in the army.
"During the war, the Armed Forces should be out of politics. Period. Because it is impossible to fight and build a political career at the same time. And you definitely cannot "serve the record " so that later in the election brochure you can proudly write "combatant," he is convinced.
Journalist and veteran Volodymyr Boiko, who was the first to publicize the circumstances of Shabunin's fictitious service, recalled that he had been publicly engaged in this case for over a year and a half.
According to him, the initiation of criminal proceedings took place after numerous court appeals, in particular together with lawyer Rostyslav Kravets. Earlier, suspicion was also handed over to the battalion commander, where Shabunin, according to the investigation, was enlisted without actually serving.
Also, the editorial office of the ZN.UA publication, despite supporting Shabunin in its statement, noted that there are questions for him.
"So, presumably, in the situation with receiving a military salary, Shabunin did the wrong thing. If he had no legal right not to receive it, he should have directed these funds to support the front. "Yes, Shabunin also made mistakes in personnel lobbying – he did not always choose the best candidates," the publication says in its statement.
As is known, yesterday the State Bureau of Investigation served the head of the Anti-Corruption Center (ACC) Vitalii Shabunin, who, according to the investigation, systematically evaded military service and used a vehicle intended for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine without legal grounds, with a notice of suspicion. In particular, the facts of his receipt of a monthly cash allowance in the amount of more than UAH 50,000, despite his actual absence from the military unit, were documented.
The activist was reported suspected under Part 4 of Article 409 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – evasion of military service under martial law; Part 2 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (in the wording of the Law at the time of the commission of the criminal offense) – appropriation of another's property by fraud, committed on a large scale. The sanction of the article provides for a penalty of up to 10 years of imprisonment, the statement says.
Who we are: About us, Contacts. How we write news and our principles: Editorial code. We did our best. If you found this valuable – please support us.
To request a correction, please send an email.