In Lviv region, a woman with a disability was tried for attempting to smuggle a draft evader out of the country.

The Yavoriv District Court in Lviv region issued a verdict against a resident of Cherkasy with a second group disability who entered into a sham marriage with a conscripted man to facilitate his escape abroad. The accused made a plea agreement with the prosecutor and received a suspended sentence.

As stated in the verdict published in the court register, Oksana Zalozna, a native of Cherkasy, attempted to leave for Poland on January 21, 2025, through the "Krakivets – Korchowa" checkpoint with her husband. The woman has a second group disability, so the conscript was traveling as her escort. However, law enforcement determined that their marriage was fictitious.

A criminal case was initiated against the woman under Part 1 of Article 332 (illegal transportation of a man abroad). During the preparatory hearing, she confirmed that she entered into a sham marriage with a draft dodger to allow him to leave the country.

The case was examined by Judge Natalia Shved, who reviewed all the materials and approved the plea agreement made by the accused with the prosecutor. The resident of Cherkasy was sentenced to three years in prison but was released from serving the sentence with a one-year probation period. The verdict can still be appealed in the appellate court.

Recall that recently, a man accused of a sham marriage won a court case against border guards and lifted the ban on crossing the border. He proved that border guards do not have the authority to determine whether a marriage is fictitious or not.