Large fines and criminal liability: The Government proposes to significantly increase penalties for illegal border crossing

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a bill that introduces criminal liability for violations related to crossing the state border.

The relevant draft law has been published on the website of the Verkhovna Rada.

The draft law proposes to amend the Criminal Code of Ukraine by adding a new part to Article 332-2. Illegal crossing or attempted illegal crossing of the state border during a state of war or emergency is punishable by:

• Fine from 7 to 10 thousand non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens (from 51 thousand to 170 thousand UAH).
• Or imprisonment for a term of up to three years.

It is worth noting that if a person, before receiving suspicion, voluntarily returns to Ukraine within three months after crossing the border and notifies law enforcement authorities about this, he or she will be exempted from liability.

The draft law also introduces Article 337-1 to the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which concerns violation of the period of stay outside Ukraine for military servicemen. For such an offense in conditions of martial law or a state of emergency, it is proposed:

• A fine of 2 to 3 thousand tax-free minimum incomes of citizens.
• Or imprisonment for a term of three to five years.

If a person returns to Ukraine within a month after crossing the border and voluntarily reports this to law enforcement, he or she will be exempt from liability.

Previously , the Cabinet of Ministers initiated amendments to the Criminal Code, which propose to establish criminal liability for violation of the established terms of stay outside the country by military conscripts .

It was previously reported that employees of the State Bureau of Investigation have completed a pre-trial investigation into a law enforcement officer from Chernivtsi region, who is suspected of organizing the illegal transfer of military conscripts across the state border . The indictment has already been sent to the court.

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