In Kyiv, authorities have uncovered a systematic scheme to circumvent mobilization using the status of a «critically important enterprise.» The construction firm «Astrum Building Company» allegedly secured draft exemptions for over 100 men who performed no actual work for the company but used the status to gain permission to cross Ukraine’s state border.
«Astrum Building Company» was granted the status of a «critically important enterprise» to the national economy, justified by construction contracts commissioned by the Kyiv Regional State Administration and the Kyiv Regional Council. However, investigation findings suggest that after securing this status, the firm shifted its primary focus from construction to the mass recruitment of military-age men for the purpose of obtaining draft deferments.
As of October 2025, the company had successfully reserved 111 employees. Authorities have determined that these individuals had no connection to the construction industry, never appeared at their workplaces, and performed no professional duties.
Among those who took advantage of the scheme is Oleksandr Anatoliyovych Milto, a resident of Kyiv (Dnipro Embankment St., 26-K). Milto previously served as the head of the Kropyvnytskyi International Airport (2021–2023) and led the NGO «Agency for Territorial Development.»
«The aforementioned reserved individuals, who are listed as company employees, do not actually carry out any activities related to construction work and do not appear at the place of work,» sources familiar with the investigation stated.
The investigation highlights a significant abuse of the mobilization framework: the «fake» employees registered by the company used their reserved status to travel across Ukraine’s state borders. Law enforcement agencies are currently continuing their investigation to establish the full extent of the scheme and identify all officials involved in facilitating this illicit activity.