The State Bureau of Investigation has filed an indictment against a former law enforcement officer from Zaporizhzhia. The investigation believes that he organized an illegal business of escorting deserters and men of draft age to the Ukrainian-Moldovan border, charging between $2,000 and $6,000 for it.
According to the SBI, the suspect created a fake profile on social networks and offered “escort services.” He provided his own phone number for contact. He assured clients that thanks to his official ID, they would pass checkpoints without hindrance, and they had to cross the state border on their own. The cost of the “route” depended on the distance and number of checkpoints.
In September 2025, the man agreed to transport a serviceman from Nikopol, who had voluntarily left the unit. To avoid control, he took sick leave and went to the Odessa region with the deserter. The “transporter” was detained by the State Border Guard Service, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the State Border Guard Service after receiving more than 2,200 US dollars — a few kilometers from the border with Moldova.
After being exposed, he was dismissed from service. The former police officer is charged with facilitating the illegal smuggling of persons across the state border, committed by an official for selfish motives (Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), as well as aiding and abetting desertion (Part 5 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 408 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanctions of the articles provide for up to 12 years of imprisonment. The procedural management is carried out by the Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the field of defense of the Eastern Region.
