Kyiv police have sent an indictment to court against a 36-year-old local man who, for a fee, assisted conscription-age men in illegally exiting Ukraine to the Republic of Moldova. He faces up to 9 years in prison.
The illegal activities of the Kyiv resident were documented last month by investigators from the Podil Police Department with the operational support of the Department of Military Counterintelligence of the SBU and under the procedural guidance of the Podil District Prosecutor's Office.
According to the investigation, the accused sought out "clients" among male acquaintances aged 18 to 60, promising assistance in illegal border crossing. He priced his "services" at $18,000.
The smuggling was to occur from Kyiv to the Odesa region, after which it would proceed on foot across the border with Moldova outside official checkpoints.
In August of this year, during a meeting at a restaurant in Podil, the suspect received the agreed sum of money from a "client" and was immediately detained by law enforcement officers.
The actions of the accused are classified under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – organization of illegal transportation of individuals across the state border of Ukraine, committed by prior conspiracy of a group of persons and for mercenary motives.
The perpetrator had previously been notified of suspicion, and now the indictment has been sent to court. He faces up to 9 years of imprisonment with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years, as well as confiscation of property.