Carrier of conscripts from Odesa region imposed house arrest

In Odesa region, a court has imposed a pre-trial restraint on a pensioner suspected of complicity in organizing the illegal trafficking of men of military age across the border to Moldova. According to the investigation, the scheme was organized via Telegram.

This is evidenced by the data of the Podilsky City District Court of Odesa Region.

The court considered the investigation's petition against a 62-year-old resident of Odesa region suspected under Part 2 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - organization of illegal transportation of persons across the state border. According to the investigation, several people were involved in the scheme, acting in collusion and coordinating the transportation through social networks.

Law enforcement officers found that the organizer, who acted under a nickname in Telegram, together with her accomplice, was looking for men who wanted to illegally leave the country during martial law. According to law enforcement, they took $10,000 from each of them and formed groups to cross the border with Moldova.

According to the investigation, the suspect provided transportation to the outskirts of the Podil district, from where the men were to walk towards the border. On November 8, 2025, border guards simultaneously stopped two cars in Balta: one with the suspected organizer and another client, and the other with a retired driver and four men who planned to illegally cross the border. The man was served a notice of suspicion.

A number of evidences were collected in the case: interrogation reports, photo identification, inspections of the scene and vehicles. The investigation believes that there are risks of absconding, pressure on witnesses, and re-committing the crime.

The prosecutors requested house arrest at night with a ban on leaving the place of residence, the need to surrender passports and the obligation to appear when called.

The court agreed with the prosecution's arguments and imposed a nighttime house arrest on the man. He must also report any changes of residence, not leave the city without permission, and not contact witnesses.

SBI officers also recently detained a border guard inspector in Odesa region who is suspected of organizing the illegal transportation of conscripts across the border. According to the investigation, he demanded that $5,000 from each of them be left separately - under a transformer on the side of the road outside the same village, and the receipt of funds had to be confirmed by a photo report.

Анна Бальчінос