Ukraine denies rumors of border closure for men with 3rd group disability

The regulations for crossing the border for individuals with a group 3 disability remain unchanged, Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service (SBGS) spokesperson, Andriy Demchenko, said in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda on Dec. 30.

In Ukraine, disabled individuals are sorted into three groups. These groups regulate access to social welfare benefits and exemption from conscription, among other effects. Group 1 disability applies to individuals who cannot live on their own and require constant care, group 2 disability applies to individuals who can live on their own but are unable to work regardless of accommodations, and group 3 disability applies to individuals who are capable of living on their own and working, albeit with accommodations.

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Rumors have circulated on Ukrainian social media that men of conscription age with group 3 disabilities have been denied the right to leave Ukraine, despite being exempt from conscription. A recent scandal on the matter erupted following the removal of 20 individuals from a Poland-bound Ukrainian train.

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"There have been no alterations to the border crossing rules, but the SBGS will consistently verify departure conditions and rigorously uphold the law," Demchenko stated.

These rules define the conditions for border crossing during martial law, particularly for men — Ukrainian citizens restricted from leaving the country — and distinctly outline categories and conditions for citizens to cross the border.

"Border guards meticulously scrutinize documents that give grounds for a person's departure,” Demchenko said.

“We often witness individuals attempting to exploit border crossing conditions, such as pursuing ulterior motives or employing forged or fictitious documents."

Since the start of the year, almost 50,000 Ukrainian citizens have been denied exit at the border for non-compliance with martial law regulations, with three thousand forged documents uncovered, according to the SBGS.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine