Ukrainian government proposes stricter criminal penalties for illegal border crossing during martial law
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has developed and submitted a new legislative bill to the parliament aimed at tightening criminal liability for individuals violating the state border during times of martial law or emergency.
The proposed changes envisage harsher sanctions for conscripts, reservists, and mobilized persons in cases of illegal border crossing or exceeding the allowed period of stay abroad.
The initiative seeks to convert administrative violations into criminal offenses, thereby making such crimes more severe and punishable by law.
This information was shared by Taras Melnychuk, a government representative in the Verkhovna Rada, who noted that the Cabinet has already approved the draft law, which involves amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
As part of these amendments, Article 204-3 is to be abolished, and relevant responsibilities will be transferred to the State Border Guard Service for handling cases related to unlawful border crossing.
Additionally, the draft proposes harsher punishments for illegal smuggling of people across borders, with new provisions added to the Criminal Code to reinforce penalties.
The initiative also aims to strengthen penalties for actions such as crossing outside official checkpoints, damaging border infrastructure, or overstaying outside Ukraine.
Minister of Defense Dmytro Shmyhal announced that from September 1, all territorial defense personnel are required to use body cameras during document checks and when delivering draft notices.
The goal of these innovations is to increase transparency and safety during border control procedures.