Ukraine’s investigators uncover a draft evasion scheme in Ivano-Frankovsk Region, where military office staff helped smuggle men of conscription age into Romania.
An illegal scheme to smuggle draft-age men out of the country has been uncovered in the Ivano-Frankovsk Region. On January 15, Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigations reported that employees of a district military enlistment office were directly involved in organizing covert crossings into Romania. Several suspects have been detained as part of the case.
According to investigators, the operation was exposed and shut down through joint efforts by the State Bureau of Investigations, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the internal security units of the State Border Service. The inquiry found that two sergeants from a local military enlistment office played a central role in the scheme. They were responsible for ensuring unhindered passage through checkpoints and provided detailed instructions to those being smuggled at every stage of the route, including guidance on independently crossing the Prut River.
One documented episode shows that, in exchange for a fee of $8,000, the suspects promised to personally escort a man to the border. The State Bureau of Investigations stated that since September 2025, more than ten people had been illegally transported to Romania using this method.
All identified participants have been detained and formally charged. Investigative measures are ongoing, with authorities checking whether other officials may have been involved. If found guilty, those implicated face up to nine years in prison, along with confiscation of property.