Two Ukrainian border guards were detained in Moldova after a boat chase

Moldovan police detained two Ukrainian border guards who had entered the country illegally while pursuing a fellow Ukrainian on a motorboat. A criminal investigation has been opened.

This was reported by the Moldovan Border Police.

According to the agency, the incident occurred on October 15, 2026, at approximately 3:00 p.m.

Two Ukrainian border guards crossed the state border between Ukraine and Moldova near the village of Kholoshnytsia. They were participating in an operation to apprehend a Ukrainian citizen.

At the time of crossing the border, both were on a motorboat. A patrol from the Moldovan Border Police arrived at the scene, detained both men, and transported them to the station in Cosăuți.

The case materials were forwarded to the prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor’s office ordered the opening of a criminal case regarding the illegal crossing of the state border. This offense is covered by Article 362 of the Criminal Code of Moldova.

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported that an “incident” occurred during the apprehension of the violator at the border with Moldova. An internal investigation is currently underway.

According to the Moldovan public television channel Moldova 1, a video circulating online shows two men in Ukrainian military uniforms sitting in a boat. Nearby on the shore, presumably on the Moldovan side, a group of people is standing and shouting at the men in the boat.

In particular, they were accused of allegedly “drowning” another man whom they were chasing as he attempted to cross the border.

Ірина Глухова