Border guards from the Chop detachment uncovered a scheme for the illegal transport of conscripts across the border, involving a priest from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

This was reported by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

In the Uzhhorod district, border patrol stopped a Mercedes vehicle heading towards the border with Slovakia. The driver, a 50-year-old man, presented a document identifying him as a priest from one of the monasteries in Transcarpathia. During the inspection of the vehicle, border guards found a hidden "passenger" — a 41-year-old resident of Sumy region. The man was concealed on the back seat under ecclesiastical robes to cross the checkpoints unnoticed. During questioning, the priest admitted that he had agreed to transport the man to the border for a fee of 10,000 US dollars. The "client" was supposed to pay after successfully crossing the state border. For this, the monk picked him up in Kyiv and hid him under ceremonial attire. An investigative team from the National Police was called to the scene. The actions of the priest indicate signs of a crime as defined in part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal transportation of individuals across the state border). Meanwhile, the "passenger" will be held accountable under Article 204-1 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses for illegal crossing or attempted illegal crossing of the state border of Ukraine.