State Border Guard Service spokesperson Andriy Demchenko stated this during a telethon broadcast, as reported by RBC-Ukraine.
"The highest number of border crossing attempts is recorded on borders with EU countries. At the same time, there are cases of crossing the border with Belarus," Demchenko said.
He specified the scale of detentions on the Belarusian direction: "In 2025, about 1,400 people were detained who attempted to illegally cross the border in this direction."
The spokesperson noted that compared to the summer period, the number of illegal border crossing attempts has currently decreased.
Since the start of the full-scale war, Ukraine has closed its borders to military-age men between 18 and 60. In 2025, the situation was somewhat simplified, allowing men under 22 to travel abroad.
According to Demchenko's August statement, more than 13,000 citizens were detained for violating border legislation since the beginning of 2025. He noted that some violators are detained repeatedly. "Administrative protocols and court decisions essentially do not deter violators from repeat actions," Demchenko said.
In the same August period, the spokesperson reported that organized criminal groups involved in illegal border crossings recruit minors into their schemes.
