Kyiv police have sent a charge to court against a 36-year-old man who, for a monetary reward, assisted draft-age men in illegally leaving Ukraine for the Republic of Moldova. He faces up to 9 years in prison.
It should be noted that the suspect's illegal activities were documented last month by investigators from the Podil Police Department with operational support from the Military Counterintelligence Department of the SBU and under the procedural guidance of the Podil District Prosecutor's Office.
According to the investigation, the accused was seeking "clients" among male acquaintances aged 18 to 60, promising them help with illegal border crossing. He valued his "services" at $18,000.
The transportation was supposed to take place from Kyiv to the Odesa region, followed by a walk across the border into Moldova outside official checkpoints.
In August of this year, during a meeting at a restaurant in Podil, the defendant received the agreed sum of money from a "client," after which law enforcement apprehended him.
The actions of the accused are classified under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – organizing the illegal transportation of individuals across the state border of Ukraine, committed by a group of individuals in conspiracy and for mercenary motives.
The suspect had previously been informed of suspicion, and the indictment has now been sent to court. He faces up to 9 years in prison, along with the deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in specific activities for up to three years, as well as property confiscation.