Around 700 groups facilitating illegal border crossings for draft dodgers exposed during war – SBGS spox
Andrii Demchenko, the SBGS Spokesperson, shared this information in a comment to Ukrinform.
According to Demchenko, border guards continue to expose schemes and organized criminal groups specializing in smuggling men out of the country.
"Since the start of martial law and as of late October, more than 660 such groups have been uncovered. On average, about 30 groups are detected each month, so this figure will likely reach approximately 700 by the end of November," Demchenko stated.
He noted that with colder weather, the number of attempts to cross the border illegally outside official checkpoints has significantly decreased. Most attempts are recorded along the "green" border sections with Romania and Moldova, though there are also efforts to cross at official border checkpoints.
For instance, at the Yahodyn checkpoint, a recent attempt involved hiding two men in a specially constructed compartment within a bus. The drivers involved now face criminal charges, Demchenko emphasized.
As recently reported, a criminal network manufacturing counterfeit documents has been dismantled in collaboration with Polish counterparts. The investigation documented the production, distribution, and transportation of fake documents within Ukraine and abroad, often used to help draft-eligible men cross the state border illegally.
Searches conducted in Lviv, Kyiv, and Odesa resulted in the seizure of over 270 stamps, holographic stickers, film with holographic images, and more than 11,000 document blanks.
