Ukraine opened nearly 300 criminal cases against evaders for 2024

Ukraine has opened 287 criminal cases on illegal transportation of citizens of conscription age across the border in 2024. This was reported on Tuesday, December 10, in the press service of the State bureau of investigations (SBI) of the country.

"This year, employees of the GBI investigated 287 criminal cases on illegal transportation of persons across the state border. About suspicion was reported to 121 people, sent to court 61 indictments against 96 people", - stated in the message of the Department in Telegram-channel.

It is noted that the illegal border crossing of evaders was facilitated by corruption among the employees of military enlistment offices (MECs), doctors and law enforcement agencies. The total amount of bribes amounted to $273.8 thousand.

Earlier, on November 26, it was reported that more than 23,000 students who allegedly used this status to evade military service were expelled from Ukrainian universities.

Before that, on November 23, it became known that Ukrainian border guards detained four men who had evaded conscription in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who had paid $10,000 each to a guide and tried to swim across the Tisa River on an inflatable boat. The agency specified that the evaders were detained on the border between Ukraine and Hungary.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (his term of office expired on 20 May) signed the law on toughening mobilization on 16 April. The document lists the categories of citizens who are subject to conscription. In addition, it toughens penalties for evading service in the AFU, but there are no provisions on demobilization.

Martial law in Ukraine has been in effect since February 2022. Later, the Verkhovna Rada repeatedly extended it. Most men aged between 18 and 60 are banned from leaving the country.