To dodge Putin's draft, Russian men can buy fake positive HIV test results for $620 in bitcoin

In Russia, young men who don't want to die in Putin's insane war can buy fake HIV diagnoses for about $620 worth of crypto. Putin banned bitcoin earlier this year, following the lead of other authoritarian despots. That hasn't stopped people there from using it to save their lives. But it's not clear if the sellers of the fake tests are delivering on their promise.

From Rest of World:

Others peddle fake documents which could qualify Russian men to be declared unfit for duty or to be put under medical observation, giving them three to six months to escape the country.

"At the moment, the most effective way is to get a certificate that you have HIV or hepatitis," one seller, who refused to share their real name, told Rest of World. Vendors offered HIV diagnoses that would be added to the Ministry of Health's database, rendering someone as unfit for military service, for $620. A diagnosis of hepatitis goes for $820, paid using bitcoins. Removal from the database, which would delete the diagnosis, is sold separately. Rest of World was unable to confirm whether the services were genuine.

"There is a huge risk of being deceived," says Zarecki.