40 men were transported abroad: seven residents of Zaporozhye and Lviv will be tried in Kirovohrad Oblast

In Kirovohrad region, residents of Zaporizhia and Lviv are facing trial, suspected of facilitating the illegal transportation of 40 men of draft age across the border.

According to the information provided by the regional prosecutor's spokesperson Natalia Alekseyenko to Suspilne, the search for men of draft age to travel abroad was organized by a 40-year-old native of Zaporizhzhia, with the assistance of seven residents of Zaporizhzhia region and Lviv. They posted announcements for this purpose on social media.

"When a potential client appeared, they started the 'crossing' process for a down payment of $500. Based on passport data and using forged seals and stamps, they produced fake documents that granted the right to cross the state border. The completed 'permits' were sent by mail under a pseudonym. A 'courier' picked up the papers and handed them to the client during a personal meeting, receiving full payment for the 'service' provided. The coordinators of the group then provided step-by-step instructions on how to cross the border and interact with border guards," explained the scheme in the prosecutor's office.

The cost of services was $6,500 per person. In just under a month, 40 draftees were sent abroad using this scheme, amounting to a total compensation of nearly 9 million hryvnias.

During the searches conducted at the suspects' premises, money, seals, stamps, phones, bank cards, and drafts with information about potential clients were found.

The case has been referred to the court with charges under the following articles:

"Creation, management of a criminal group or criminal organization, as well as participation in it."
"Illegal transportation of persons across the state border of Ukraine."
"Forgery of documents, seals, stamps, and forms, sale or use of forged documents, seals, stamps."
The articles entail a maximum prison sentence of up to 12 years.
Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subject to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a court's guilty verdict.