In Zaporizhzhia, the SSU blocked a channel of illegal passenger transportation to russia and the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine and back.

According to the investigation, the ‘clients’ included collaborators trying to travel to russia to escape justice.

The illegal cross-border trips were carried out by two buses under the guise of commercial activities of a local transport company.

The route to russia passed through several European countries.

The organizers of the channel paid taxes and fees to the russian budget to ensure unhindered movement in the aggressor state.

The final ‘destination’ of the illegal trips was the temporarily occupied areas in eastern and southern Ukraine, where the buses entered from russia.

A one-way ticket cost USD 350.

To travel through the temporarily occupied territories, the perpetrators cooperated with the local occupation administrations.

Among other things, the organizers of the scheme received ‘orders’ from the russians for covert transportation of their accomplices from Ukraine-controlled territory.

A woman from the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region wanted to use this ‘route’; she had helped the aggressor to hold sham elections to the local ‘russian legislative assembly’.

Later, she travelled to her relatives in Vinnytsia oblast to hide the money received from the invaders for holding the fake plebiscite.

After that, the collaborator was going to order a ‘return ticket’ through this ‘carrier’. However, the SSU uncovered and detained her.

The investigation revealed that the clandestine transportations had been organised by a Zaporizhzhia resident who had previously served a sentence for robbery. He involved two of his acquaintances, who were looking for clients and keeping records.

According to the current data, the criminals ‘earned’ up to UAH 1 mln monthly.

During the searches of the suspects’ homes, the SSU found:

• mobile phones and documents with evidence of the crime;
• cash, probably proceeds of crime.

So far, three persons have been notified of suspicion under Article 332.2, 332.3 of the CCU (illegal transfer of persons across Ukraine’s state border). The investigation is ongoing.

The operation was conducted by the SSU Office in Zaporizhzhia region jointly with the National Police under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.