"Double Standards": Activist Shabunin Discharged from AFU Due to Vision, Despite Hitting "Bullseye" and Driving – "Honest Mobilization" Movement
Kyiv • UNN
Vitaliy Shabunin was discharged from the army due to poor vision, but continues to drive a car and shoot accurately. Activists have accused the head of the AntAC of double standards.
Vitaliy Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC), managed to be discharged from the army due to poor eyesight, yet, as he claims himself, he shoots very accurately and continues to drive a car. This indicates double standards by the activist, who, unlike thousands of other servicemen, utilizes connections and funds to bypass the law and demobilize. This was reported by representatives of the "Honest Mobilization" movement, who analyzed Shabunin's interview with journalist Yuriy Nikolov, according to UNN.
To everyone who wants to "dodge"—that is, to be discharged from the army—Shabunin recommends paying for a good lawyer because the system is imperfect. Shabunin was discharged due to poor eyesight, but at the same time, he shoots excellently, hitting 10 out of 10 from 100 meters, claiming he only has poor peripheral vision. He continues to drive a car because he "needs to drive the kids." In other words, he feels no pity for other people or even his own children, who could end up in a car accident due to his supposedly "poor eyesight." Or perhaps his vision is not as bad as the activist tries to convince us
Furthermore, as stated in the movement's post, Shabunin intends to return a Nissan Pathfinder SUV, which was intended for the military, to a charitable foundation because it broke down.
The SUV he took from volunteers and used to drive to restaurants broke down—the engine hasn't worked for over 2 months. So he towed the car near Kyiv and will now give it back to the charitable foundation. Let them repair it using Ukrainians' donations. And the fact that he "served" can be confirmed by commanders. The same ones who issued him business trips to Kyiv and have now received notices of suspicion from the SBI for it
They note that there are many positions in the AFU that do not require perfect vision, but Shabunin managed to get discharged, while thousands of severely wounded soldiers cannot do so for years.
While thousands of soldiers cannot get discharged even with severe injuries, Shabunin—who hits the "bullseye" from a hundred meters and drives his own children in a car—suddenly becomes unfit due to "poor eyesight." At the same time, there are plenty of positions in the military that do not require "eagle vision"—from clerical work to logistics. But Shabunin's story is a clear example of double standards: for some, it's the front line and years of fighting for a legal discharge; for him, it's an expensive AntAC lawyer, cozy interviews with draft-dodging friends, and a return to comfortable Kyiv restaurants. So, the next time Shabunin and Nikolov talk about legality, responsibility, and honesty, they should start not with another exposé, but with their own biographies
As previously reported, the State Bureau of Investigation served a notice of suspicion to the head of the AntAC, Vitaliy Shabunin. He is accused of fraud and evasion of mobilization. According to the SBI, instead of military service, the activist spent time at his own discretion in Kyiv, moved around the city on private business, and visited catering establishments. At the same time, he continued to receive military pay, thus misappropriating over 224,000 UAH of state funds. Subsequently, he was discharged from the military for health reasons.
Veterans stated that Shabunin's discharge from the army discredits the AFU and encourages an increase in the number of draft dodgers.