Illegal border crossing attempts in Ukraine have nearly halved since last summer, Border Guard says
The State Border Guard has recorded a decrease in attempts to illegally cross Ukraine's border since July 2024, spokesperson Andrii Demchenko said on Feb. 10.
"If we compare January with July last year, we see a 45% decrease," Demchenko said.
Speaking on national TV, the spokesperson said that despite this trend, attempts to illegally cross the border occur every day.
Men of the conscription age are prohibited from leaving the country during martial law, save for several exceptions. Many attempt to reach neighboring countries in spite of that, hoping to avoid mobilization.
Most such cases occurred outside the checkpoints on the border with Romania and Moldova, and fewer cases are recorded on the border with Slovakia and Hungary. The lowest number of attempts to illegally cross the border outside of checkpoints was recorded on the border with Poland, according to the spokesperson.
There have been multiple reports of men attempting to illegally flee Ukraine by swimming the Tysa River, which flows along the border with Hungary, Romania, and Moldova.
"Attempts to illegally cross the border through checkpoints continue. Most of these cases occur on the border with Poland, because it has the highest passenger traffic," Demchenko added.
People turn to criminal groups to plan a route for escape, offering them money, the spokesperson said.
More than 760 such groups have been uncovered since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war, including around 40 in January 2025, Demchenko said.
Some countries, like Lithuania or Poland, voiced support for helping Ukraine bring back its military-aged men living abroad but rejected the possibility of forcibly deporting them.
Martin Fornusek
