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Moldovan authorities arrest two men for smuggling Ukrainian draft dodgers across border

According to the statement, the suspects were leading eight men from Dnepr, Kharkov, Nikolayev, Ternovka, Mariupol and Zaporozhye across the border before their arrest

CHISINAU, February 2. /TASS/. Two residents of the Moldovan city of Slobozia have been arrested for illegally smuggling Ukrainian draft dodgers across borders.

"Two Slobozia residents, suspected of organizing the illegal migration of men from Ukraine, have been arrested. They received up to $10,000 per person for their services," the Moldovan Prosecutor’s Office for organized crime and special cases said in its statement.

According to the statement, the suspects were leading eight men from Dnepr, Kharkov, Nikolayev, Ternovka, Mariupol and Zaporozhye across the border before their arrest.

Since the beginning of the special military operation, Moldovan border patrol agents have repeatedly reported about men of conscription age trying to illegally cross the Dniester river and other swathes of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. They are entitled to ask for shelter in Moldova. Moldovan authorities stated that they will not extradite refugees avoiding conscription back to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Moldovan law enforcement has busted several criminal groups for aiding draft evaders to illegally cross the border. The cost of such services can reach upwards of $10,000.

Previously, Moldovan authorities simplified the entry procedure for Ukrainian refugees, allowing them to use expired identity documents and other benefits. According to the border police, about 1 million Ukrainian refugees have entered the republic since February, 2022. Most of them headed to EU countries, while about 100,000 people stayed in Moldova.

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