Males between the age of 18 and 60 have been barred from leaving without permission under mobilization laws
A Ukrainian man disguised as a woman has been caught in an attempt to flee the country, local authorities have reported. Martial law bans fighting-age males from going abroad without special permission.
The 30-year-old suspect was detained at a Ukrainian security checkpoint while traveling by bus from the Black Sea port city of Odessa to Reni, a city located near the border with Romania, across the Danube River.
According to a statement from the border guard service on Wednesday, the man was wearing a black satin dress, a wig, and sunglasses in an effort to pose as a female. The individual has been charged with attempting to illegally cross the border.
Ukraine announced a general mobilization in February 2022, under which most men between the ages of 18 and 60 are barred from leaving the country.
Kiev has struggled with widespread draft evasion throughout the conflict with Russia, with potential recruits hiding from military officers or attempting unauthorized escapes abroad. Authorities have documented various tactics, including bribery, forged documents, and direct attempts to cross the border. The latter approach has led to multiple deaths.
Russian officials have accused Vladimir Zelensky’s government of pursuing a war strategy that sacrifices its own citizens in order to remain in power. Moscow claims the administration is prolonging a losing fight while enriching itself at the expense of the population.
Military mobilization has become a flashpoint in Ukrainian society, where critics allege that wealth and influence provide a path to exemptions.
One alleged case was reported on Wednesday by the Dzerkalo Tizhnya newspaper. According to its sources, former Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Chernyshov allegedly shielded personal staff members from the draft by employing them at a state-owned gas company he was heading.
The investigation, initially led by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), was reportedly suspended after the agency was placed under the authority of the prosecutor general. The move has drawn strong criticism from Ukraine’s Western backers, prompting the Zelensky administration to signal plans to reverse the decision.
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