According to the case materials, among the clients of the clandestine flights were collaborators who tried to leave for the Russian Federation to evade justice. Illegal trips outside Ukraine were carried out by two buses under the guise of commercial activity of a local transport company.
It was established that the route towards Russia ran through several European countries. For unhindered movement across the territory of the aggressor country, the defendants paid taxes and fees to the Russian budget.
The final destination of illegal transportation was the temporarily occupied areas in the east and south of Ukraine, where the buses entered from Russian territory. The cost of a ticket for such a flight was 350 US dollars one way.
To travel through temporarily occupied territories of the state, the attackers collaborated with representatives of local occupation administrations. Among other things, the defendants received an “order” from the Russian invaders to secretly remove their henchmen from the territory controlled by Ukraine.
A resident of the temporarily occupied part of Zaporozhye, who “helped” the aggressor to conduct pseudo-elections to the local “Legislative Assembly of Russia,” wanted to take advantage of such illegal “traffic.”
Subsequently, the attacker went to the Vinnytsia region to hide with relatives the money she received from the invaders for holding a fake plebiscite. After that, she was going to book a “return ticket” through the involved carriers. However, SBU officers promptly exposed the collaborator and detained her.
As the investigation established, the illegal transportation was organized by a resident of Zaporozhye, who had previously served a sentence for robbery. He involved two of his acquaintances in illegal activities, who were looking for clients and doing black bookkeeping. According to available data, businessmen earned up to UAH 1 million monthly. During searches in their homes the following was discovered:
mobile phones and documents with evidence of criminal acts;
cash likely obtained from illegal businesses.
Currently, all three defendants have been informed of suspicion under the CC. 2, 3 tbsp. 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal transportation of persons across the state border of Ukraine). The investigation continues to establish all the circumstances of the crime and bring the perpetrators to justice. The investigation was carried out by SBU officers in the Zaporozhye region together with the National Police under the procedural leadership of the regional prosecutor's office.