A presumed draft evader was thwarted in his attempt to flee to Romania by speeding through a border checkpoint on a motorcycle, Ukrainian officials reported. Kiev has banned fighting-age males from leaving the country under mobilization rules, prompting thousands of illegal crossing attempts that have resulted in fatalities.
The incident took place on Sunday evening at the Porubnoye crossing, according to Ukraine’s border service. Footage released Monday shows a guard raising a metal barrier across the road and attempting to intercept the approaching rider.
The video then cuts to the aftermath, with the motorcycle lying on the ground after apparently bending the barrier, and officers apprehending the would-be escapee.
Officials identified the suspect as a man in his early thirties from Ukraine’s western Lviv Region. He was handed over to national police.
Since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022, Kiev has barred most adult men under the age of 60 from leaving the country. Those exempt from mandatory military service must obtain special authorization for legal departures.
As combat losses mount and recruitment efforts become increasingly harsh, more Ukrainian men have attempted to leave the country unlawfully. Such attempts often involve migrant smuggling networks or dangerous routes through forests, rivers, and mountainous terrain.
Border service spokesman Andrey Demchenko previously reported over 13,000 detentions between January and August of individuals attempting illegal crossings from Ukraine. In June 2024, authorities confirmed 45 deaths linked to draft dodgers attempting escape.
Travel restrictions were partially eased in August when men under 22 not yet eligible for mandatory mobilization were permitted to leave. This measure triggered a sharp outflow, with Eurostat noting a nearly 50% increase in applications for temporary protection in the EU through September.
