Since February 2022, border guards of the 9th Border Detachment named after the Sichovyi Striltsi, who guard Ukraine’s border in Zhytomyr region and neighboring areas, have disrupted over 70 organized groups involved in transporting people across the state border. Such data appear in a video investigation, whose title speaks to the motivation and risks of mobilization escalation.

In a statement to journalists, the press officer of the 9th Detachment said that since the start of the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation, border guards of three oblasts – Zhytomyr, Rivne, and Kyiv – have disrupted over 70 organized groups: either halted their activities or completely eliminated them. Yuriy Shakhraichuk noted that Belarus’s actions to search for contacts and reach out to people in order to use mobilization resources from Ukraine constitute one element of hybrid warfare against the country.

“I need to know that the Territorial Recruitment Center won’t grab my husband”: how the scheme of men fleeing to Belarus works

– Slidsto.Info and the Belarusian Investigative Center

Crossing the border and its nuances during martial law

According to official explanations, since February 24, 2022, martial law has been in effect in Ukraine, so outbound travel is restricted for men aged 18–60 who are subject to mobilization. There are exceptions: people with disabilities, parents with many children, guardians, escorts for people with disabilities, students of foreign universities, and other groups – decisions on entry/exit are made individually at the border crossing point.

On August 26, 2025, the government updated the procedure for crossing the state border: now men aged 18 to 22 can travel abroad freely during martial law. To cross the border they need to have a passport that authorizes travel abroad, and a military registration document (including in electronic form), which they present to the border guard on demand.

As of 2025, the number of detained draft-age men at the Belarus border has multiplied. According to official information from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, in 2025 1,424 such persons were detained – four times more than in the previous year (326) and 356 times more than in 2023 (4). Investigators calculated that among the countries Ukraine borders, Belarus is the only one at whose border the number of detained draft-age men has significantly increased (+336% relative to the 2024 figure).

“This is four times higher than in the previous year (326 people), and 356 times higher than in 2023 (4 people). Investigators from Slidstvo.Info calculated that among all the countries bordering Ukraine, Belarus is the only one at whose border the number of drafted-age men has significantly increased (+336% to the 2024 figure)”

– Slidstvo.Info

The journalist Oleh Kotyuzhansky from Slidstvo.Info said in the video that the “hike” lasts from three to six days, because people are dropped off 10–30 kilometers from the border. The crossing is mainly near the village Perebrody, located near Kopys.

“Usually they work according to this scheme. In front of the man’s car goes a woman and informs where the border post or checkpoint stands. They try to bypass all settlements to simply cross to the Belarus side, where a “kind uncle border guard” from the Belarusian KGB awaits them”

– Oleh Kotyuzhansky

In summary, the materials point to growing activity on the Belarusian side to involve Ukrainian men in illegal border crossing. Such data highlight the need to strengthen control and coordination between border and law enforcement agencies to reduce the risks of mobilization manipulation and humanitarian crises at the border. In recent years, the border guards of the 9th Detachment continue to record cases of attempts to circumvent legal restrictions and interactions with various groups seeking ways to bypass the border.