War

Escape from mobilization: how and where men have been leaving Ukraine since 2022

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, at least 44,900 men have illegally crossed the state border of Ukraine. These data were released by MP Yulia Yatsyk following a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada’s Temporary Investigation Commission on countering illegal border crossings, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.

According to the State Border Guard Service, since the beginning of the war, more than 7,000 criminal cases related to illegal border crossing have been opened. However, only a little over 400 cases have resulted in actual court sentences.

The main methods of illegal travel

Use of forged documents, including certificates of unfitness for service, certificates of a father with many children, and fake documents about studying abroad.

Crossing the border outside of official checkpoints without going through border control.

Use of passports of citizens of other countries.

Registration of exit through the “Shlyakh” system as drivers transporting humanitarian or medical cargo.

Crossing the front line with further exit through the temporarily occupied territories and the Russian Federation.

Departure on the basis of letters from state or law enforcement agencies to the State Border Guard Service with requests for assistance in crossing the border.

Read also: During 3 years of full-scale war, about 3 million Ukrainians left the country and did not return

Illegal border crossing by men: why it becomes possible

The PIC meeting also outlined a number of problems that complicate control over illegal border crossings. Among them:

• lack of a clear list of documents that border guards should require from people crossing the border;
• the lack of an electronic system for storing copies of documents, which makes it impossible to verify the legality of the crossing;
• lack of control over the return of persons who have left Ukraine for a certain period of time;
• the use of letters from state authorities without proper control, which creates conditions for abuse.

These data indicate a large-scale problem with the illegal departure of men of military age from Ukraine during martial law and the need to strengthen control over compliance with the law in this area.

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Escape from mobilization: how and where men have been leaving Ukraine since 2022