An investigation by NGL.media found that most exit permits issued by the Lviv Regional Military Administration were granted to organizations that appear to be fictitious and allegedly connected to lawyer Oleksii Shevchuk (Barristers law firm). According to the report, more than 1,500 men used these organizations to leave Ukraine and did not return.
The case has raised questions about potential corruption and accountability among those involved.
The Barristers law firm, which is now defending former Irpin mayor Oleksandr Markushyn in a separate criminal case, has previously represented a number of high-profile defendants. One of the firm’s key partners is Illia Novikov, a well-known lawyer originally from Moscow who later obtained Ukrainian citizenship. Novikov has taken part in several politically sensitive cases in Ukraine and abroad.