This photograph reportedly shows a short 29-year-old man who planned to cross the River Tisa out of Ukraine and into the rest of Europe on an inflatable mattress while wearing a pink children’s hat to distract border guards.
The River Tisa roughly follows Ukraine’s borders with Romania and Hungary and the unnamed man was apparently trying to escape the country to get away from the war.
The photograph was obtained from the State Border Service of Ukraine on Monday, 4th December, along with a statement saying: “A persistent daredevil was planning to storm the full-flowing Tisa on an inflatable mattress.
“Border guards of the ‘Dilove’ unit of the Mukachevo detachment detained a 29-year-old resident of Kolomyia who, for the fourth time, attempted to illegally cross the border in Transcarpathia.
“Twice, the Ukrainian ‘checked’ the reliability of border security in Odesa, and for the second time, he came to Transcarpathia with the same purpose.
“Despite repeated warnings from border guards and against common sense, the persistent daredevil planned to swim across the full-flowing Tisa.
“The seriousness of the intentions of the Transcarpathian was eloquently demonstrated by the flotation device with which the man planned to “storm” the deadly water barrier – an inflatable mattress.
“And the man, who is of short stature, wore a pink child’s hat to appear as a child and divert the attention of the border guards. To establish all the circumstances of the man’s violation of the law, he was taken to the border unit.
“In total, over the weekend, border guards of the Mukachevo detachment thwarted 13 attempts to violate the state border, resulting in the detention of 22 violators.
“Most of the offenders tried to cross the border on the Ukrainian-Hungarian section. Border patrols of the ‘Luzhanka’ and ‘Vilok’ units detained 13 men. Another 9 were identified and detained by border guards from the ‘Dilove,’ ‘Yablunivka’, and ‘Tyachiv’ units.
“Offenders were held accountable under Article 204-1 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offences, ‘Illegal crossing or attempted illegal crossing of the state border of Ukraine.’
“For this type of offence, responsibility is provided in the form of a fine ranging from 3400 to 13600 hryvnias or administrative arrest for up to fifteen days, with the confiscation of tools and means of committing the offence.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 650th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 5th December 2023, Russia had lost about 333,840 personnel, 5,587 tanks, 10,416 armoured combat vehicles, 7,987 artillery units, 913 multiple launch rocket systems, 605 air defence systems, 323 warplanes, 324 helicopters, 6,032 drones, 1,570 cruise missiles, 22 warships, 1 submarine, 10,483 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 1,148 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
The White House has said that it is “out of money and nearly out of time” regarding providing more weapons to Ukraine unless Congress approves additional funding.
Shalanda Young, US President Joe Biden’s budget director, wrote in a letter to Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson that failing to continue to assist Ukraine militarily would “kneecap” the country’s ability to fight Russia’s invasion.
She said: “Cutting off the flow of US weapons and equipment will kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield, not only putting at risk the gains Ukraine has made, but increasing the likelihood of Russian military victories.”
Johnson said that the Biden administration had “failed to substantively address any of my conference’s legitimate concerns about the lack of a clear strategy in Ukraine.”
He also reiterated the insistence of Republicans on tying any aid for Ukraine to changes in US policy regarding the country’s southern border with Mexico.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has demanded that a summit of European Union leaders next week not make a decision on approving membership talks to begin over Ukraine.
Russia’s Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev has said that a Russian general died while deployed in Ukraine.
He said: “Major General Vladimir Zavadsky, deputy commander of the 14th Army Corps of the Northern Fleet, died in the line of duty in a special operation zone.”
Viktoria Kireyeva, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, said on the sidelines of the COP28 climate conference in Dubai that Russia’s war in Ukraine accounts for approximately 150 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
She said: “The war has a devastating impact on the environment. Air, soil and water is polluted as a result of the fighting.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he regrets deteriorating ties with Western countries.
Putin made the comments while accepting the credentials of about two dozen new ambassadors at the Kremlin.
Speaking to the ambassador of the United Kingdom, he said: “In the postwar [post-World War II] period and until recently, our countries were able to build relations.
“But the current state of things … is well known and we should hope that the situation – in the interest of our countries and nations – will change for the better.”
Russian forces are attacking the eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka from two new directions, Ukrainian officials said on Monday.
