A Ukrainian man who tried to flee abroad drowned in the Dniester River in front of border guards

A Ukrainian man who tried to escape the country by swimming across the Dniester River drowned in front of border guards.

This was reported by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on its Telegram channel.

According to the statement, the tragedy happened near the city of Yampil in Vinnytsia Oblast.

“A 31-year-old citizen attempted to cross the state border illegally via the river. He crossed part of the Dniester over the ice, reached one of the islands near the shore, and then planned to make the next part by swimming,” the post says.

It emphasizes that the young man could not stay afloat for long due to the low water temperature and the strong current. Moreover, due to unfavorable weather conditions, border guards were unable to reach the scene in time and help him. As a result, he drowned.

The body was recovered only the next day.

On December 24, 2025, CNN reported that at least 29 Ukrainian draft evaders had died while trying to cross the mountains or swim across the Tisza River, which separates Ukraine’s southwest from northern Romania.

Earlier, in Ukraine, a route used by draft evaders to escape to Europe via a gas pipeline was uncovered.