These images show Ukrainian border guards discovering two young Ukrainian men under the floor of a car after paying USD 4,500 to be smuggled out of the country.
The images were obtained from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on Friday, 11th August, along with a statement saying: “‘International lie’: foreigners hid two Ukrainians under the floor of a car.
“Two citizens of Moldova claimed on the floor that there was no one else in the car except for them.
“However, the border guards found two Ukrainians UNDER the floor. The passengers admitted that they found the foreign carriers through the Telegram channel and paid USD 4,500 for a ‘ticket’ under the seats.
“As a result, the ‘extreme’ channel of illegal shipping in Odesa was blocked.”
They also said: “Operatives of the Izmail border detachment, together with colleagues from the National Police, blocked the channel of illegal transportation of Ukrainian citizens across the state border.
“The border guards, implementing operational information, stopped the CHRYSLER Grand Voyager car on the Odesa-Reni highway. There were two citizens of Moldova in the car, who claimed that there was no one else in the car besides them.
“However, during an in-depth inspection of the Chrysler, border guards discovered a hiding place – a niche under the passenger seat, in which two men – citizens of Ukraine – were hiding.
“In the course of communication with law enforcement officers, ‘extreme travellers’ reported that due to restrictions on travel abroad, they decided to use the services of foreigners in order to secretly enter Moldova.
“Ukrainians found their foreign carriers through one of the closed Telegram channels. The men’s migration path was to go to the Republic of Moldova. The price of such a ‘ticket’ was USD 4,500 each.
“Thanks to the concerted actions of the law enforcement officers, the criminal scheme was exposed, and the organisers of the channel were detained in accordance with Art. 208 of the CPC of Ukraine.
“Actions to expose the illegal scheme were carried out by operatives of the Izmail border detachment together with representatives of the National Police, under the procedural guidance of the Primorye District Prosecutor’s Office of Odesa.”
The general rule is that men between the ages of 18 and 60 cannot leave Ukraine as they may be mobilised to fight against the Russian invasion.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 534th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 11th August 2023, Russia had lost about 252,780 personnel, 4,290 tanks, 8,318 armoured combat vehicles, 5,043 artillery units, 713 multiple launch rocket systems, 471 air defence systems, 315 warplanes, 313 helicopters, 4,197 drones, 1,377 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 7,511 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 756 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Ukrainian officials have said that a Russian missile hit a hotel in the city of Zaporizhzhia on Thursday evening, killing one person and injuring 16 others, including four children.
Ukraine said it shot down seven out of 10 Shahed drones launched at it by Russia overnight.
The White House is reportedly asking Congress for an additional USD 24 billion to provide Ukraine with aid, senior US government officials said on Thursday.
Arkady Volozh, the co-founder of Russian internet giant Yandex, has reportedly called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “barbaric”.
He reportedly said: “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is barbaric, and I am categorically against it.”
He also reportedly said: “I am horrified about the fate of people in Ukraine – many of them my personal friends and relatives – whose houses are being bombed every day.”
Polish defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said on Thursday that his country was planning to move up to 10,000 additional soldiers to its border with Belarus to support the Border Guards.
He said: “About 10,000 soldiers will be on the border, of which 4,000 will directly support the Border Guard and 6,000 will be in the reserve.”
He added: “We move the army closer to the border with Belarus to scare away the aggressor so that it does not dare to attack us-“
