Ukrainian border guards use weapons to detain evaders

The Ukrainian border service has opened warning fire to detain evaders who illegally tried to cross the border with Hungary, the Western Regional Directorate of the State Border Service of Ukraine has said on 13 January. This was reported on 13 January by the Western regional directorate of the Ukrainian State Border Service on Facebook (owned by Meta, an organization banned and recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation).

It is noted that seven men and one underage young man were detained.

In addition, it is reported about the disclosure of the channel of illegal departure of men abroad, which was organized in Lviv and Kiev. During the searches, records and electronic data were seized. Three suspects in the case have been charged.

Earlier in the day, Ukraine detained an employee of the Mykolaiv regional military enlistment office, who for money helped military conscripts to avoid mobilization. It is reported that the employee of the military enlistment office together with a colleague offered to help the persons liable for military duty to avoid mobilization. For a payment of $4-5,000, they promised to influence doctors to forge medical documents with false diagnoses when passing the military medical commission.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (term expired on May 20) signed the law on toughening mobilization on April 16. 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.