Main points
- Former prisoner of war Yevgeny Shybalov was unable to cross the border due to the lack of a formal deferment from mobilization.
- Later, Shibalov reported that he had crossed the border after all, and the border guards at the Rava-Ruska checkpoint expressed their condolences and apologized for the situation.
Ukrainian soldier released from captivity was not allowed to go abroad / Collage of Channel 24
Former prisoner of war Yevhen Shybalov said that the State Border Service of Ukraine did not allow him to cross the border. He added that he had all the necessary documents and the right to a deferment from mobilization.
The Ministry of Defense explained that the serviceman had to apply for a deferment in advance to cross the Ukrainian border.
Why didn't the State Border Guard Service allow the soldier to go abroad?
Yevhen Shybalov spoke about the situation in his Facebook post. As the former Kremlin prisoner noted, he was not allowed across the border at the Rava-Ruska checkpoint when he was heading to a conference on Ukraine issues in the United States.
I was supposed to go to Harvard for a conference. I was sincerely convinced that all the trials I had gone through would open up a new frontier for me. But no. I was the only one who wasn't allowed to go abroad,
– wrote the soldier.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense explained the situation by saying that Shybalov had not obtained a deferment from mobilization. They added that crossing the border requires not only legal rights, but also properly executed documents, including military registration.
Later, Yevhenii Shybalov reported that he had crossed the border after all and was already leaving for the conference. According to him, the border guards at the Rava-Ruska checkpoint apologized and expressed condolences, explaining that they understood the situation, but did not have the authority to make such a decision on their own.
How can Ukrainian soldiers cross the border?
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Military personnel may travel abroad for recreation, study, medical treatment, or to meet with relatives. To travel, they must have a passport, military ID card, an extract from the leave order, and a leave ticket.
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Lawyer Diana Ternova emphasized that servicemen have the right to travel abroad during their own planned vacation. They are also allowed to leave Ukraine for treatment of injuries.