Young Ukrainians detained at border escape attempt amidst war

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine announced that eight Ukrainians were detained near Transnistria while attempting to cross the border illegally. The photos show exceptionally young men who wanted to escape the war. Other men tried to cross the Tisza River, including a 14-year-old boy.

The Ukrainian Border Guard Service (DPSU) detained two cars with six passengers near the border with the Transnistrian region of Moldova. "The journey was organized by a Telegram channel administrator, whose services the men used. Each of the men paid from 130,000 to 150,000 hryvnias (approximately $3,500 to $4,100)," the border guard service reported. The men's appearance draws attention—most of them are very young.

All were detained. The border guards added, "The drivers face criminal liability, and the offenders have administrative protocols drawn up."

In another announcement, the DPSU informed that it detained a group of men who attempted to escape from Ukraine via the Tisza River, which is a natural border with Romania.

"A border unit consisting of trainee cadets detained four men accompanied by a 14-year-old teenager," it reads. Each man paid from $4,000 to $6,000 for the dangerous river crossing. The teenager was supposed to receive $1,000," the border guard service reported.

"Currently, officers are determining the circle of people involved in organizing the illegal departure," the communiqué added.

The detainees are residents of the Kyiv, Zakarpattia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Lviv regions. At the beginning of July, the Moldovan border guard reported that approximately 23,500 Ukrainians arrived in Moldova, bypassing border crossings, from February 24, 2022, to May 31, 2024. Around 11,000 Ukrainians fled to Romania.

In mid-May, new mobilization regulations began to apply in Ukraine. The law replaced the general draft with a five-month training period for all men eligible for military service. This especially applies to those aged 18-25 years. Until they turn 25, they will not be mobilized to front-line units but will undergo periodic training.