In Transcarpathia, a border guard was arrested for smuggling draft evaders into the EU for $10,000.

Law enforcement officials apprehended a serviceman of the State Border Guard Service while he was receiving $10,000 from a man in exchange for smuggling him across the border outside of official checkpoints. The border guard has been arrested, facing up to nine years in prison.

As reported by the Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the Defense Sector of the Western Region on November 28, the border guard was transporting draft evaders in his own vehicle to a departure point and indicating a safe route along the border line. He sought out individuals looking to avoid mobilization among local residents and inhabitants of other regions, smuggling men across the border during his shift.

“The cost of such services was estimated by the border guard at $10,000 per person. He received part of the payment from conscripts in advance, and the remainder from trusted individuals after a successful crossing. Two such incidents have been documented. The suspect was detained after receiving the agreed sum of the bribe,” the prosecutors stated.

The State Border Guard Service added that the draft evaders assisted by the serviceman were apprehended by a response team from the "Kosyno" border service unit just 50 meters from the Hungarian border.

The border guard was arrested with the possibility of posting a bail of 151,400 UAH. For the illegal smuggling of men across the state border of Ukraine and bribery, he faces up to nine years in prison.