Under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor's Offices of Volyn, Ivano-Frankivsk, and the Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the field of defense of the Western region, law enforcement officers uncovered and halted the activities of several groups of individuals who organized the illegal departure of conscripted men from the country during martial law. Some participants have already been held accountable.

Transcarpathia – route through Lviv region to Romania

According to the investigation, three residents of Transcarpathia – two civilians and a military officer in the Territorial Defense – were searching for men in Lviv region for money, developing routes for them, providing instructions, accommodating them near the border, and facilitating their crossing of the state border with Romania outside of checkpoints.

They charged 7-8 thousand US dollars from each conscripted man.

All three were detained after receiving 15 thousand US dollars. They have been notified of suspicion under part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. At the request of the prosecutors, the court chose preventive measures in the form of detention with the right to bail. The investigation is ongoing to identify all individuals involved in the crime.

Volyn – attempt to smuggle through an ambulance

In Volyn, the activities of two local residents who attempted to organize the departure of conscripted men abroad, disguising them as "patients" of an ambulance, have been documented. The ambulance driver was supposed to pass through border patrols without hindrance and deliver the conscripted men to a departure point near the border. To avoid checks, the men offered the border guard a bribe – 2 thousand US dollars from each.

The serviceman reported the attempted bribery, after which one of the men was detained and notified of suspicion under part 3 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (offering an unlawful benefit to a public official). The issue of additional qualification under Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is being resolved.

Ivano-Frankivsk region – scheme through the "Shlyakh" system

In Ivano-Frankivsk region, an interregional group of five individuals – residents of Prykarpattia and Bukovyna – has been uncovered. They were fictitiously registering conscripted men as drivers of international transport and illegally entering their data into the "Shlyakh" system.

To access the database, they used the electronic key of one of the transport companies. For this, they received 14 thousand US dollars.

All five accomplices have been notified of suspicion under part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The court has chosen preventive measures for them.

Transcarpathia – crossing to Hungary via Tysa – sent to court

Another smuggling channel was organized by a 35-year-old resident of Transcarpathia. Together with accomplices, he smuggled conscripted men to Hungary on an inflatable boat across the Tysa River for 6 thousand US dollars.

Law enforcement officers uncovered the channel, detained the participants, and the indictment has already been sent to court by the prosecutors.

Lviv region – verdict for organizing illegal departure

Under the public prosecution of the prosecutors of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the field of defense of the Western region, the court found a resident of Lviv guilty of organizing the illegal transportation of individuals across the state border of Ukraine (part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

He was sentenced to 7 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property and a one-year ban on engaging in organizational and administrative activities.

It was established that the man, together with an accomplice, helped conscripted men illegally leave for Europe outside of checkpoints for 8 thousand US dollars per person.

He prepared documents that, according to him, would ensure unhindered passage through checkpoints and safe arrival at the state border in Transcarpathia. He also provided detailed explanations regarding the mechanism for crossing the border with Romania. Thanks to the collected evidence, the prosecutors fully proved the guilt of the convicted.

Pre-trial investigation and operational support: Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Volyn regions, Department of Internal Security of the National Police, Security Service of Ukraine in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, Migration Police Department of Lviv region, Western Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.