Andriy Demchenko, an official with Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, said the Belarus border is less busy than those with Romania or Moldova but is seeing a growing number of illegal crossing attempts.
Data from the State Border Guard Service show that in 2025, 1,424 mobilization-age men were detained trying to cross the Ukraine-Belarus border illegally, up from 326 in 2024 and just four in 2023. Among all Ukraine’s neighboring countries, only Belarus registered a sharp increase—336% more detentions than in 2024.
Investigators say the Belarus route now ranks among the top five for detaining military-age men, surpassing Poland. Romania leads with 10,066 detentions, followed by Moldova (4,937), Slovakia (2,265), and Hungary (1,841). The fewest were at the borders with Russia (one) and Poland (511).
Journalists spoke with a man advertising on Telegram channels to help clients cross into Belarus and onward to the European Union. He said he charges $16,000 for two people. Clients are picked up in Kyiv or elsewhere, pay only after boarding the vehicle, and, after crossing the border, are taken to a hotel before being handed over to local authorities.
Demchenko added that Ukraine is reinforcing the Belarus border with engineering barriers and other fortifications.