(MENAFN) Authorities in Ukraine have apprehended a man of military age who was preparing to escape to Moldova using a paraglider, according to the country’s Border Guard Service. This incident comes amid rising cases of draft evasion as the government steps up conscription efforts during the ongoing conflict.

The individual, a 48-year-old from the western Khmelnitsky Region, was caught near Mogiliov-Podilsky in the Vinnitsa Region. Officials revealed that he had purchased a lightweight glider for €500 ($582) and was readying to take off from a nearby field when border guards stopped him.

Officials warned that the flight posed serious risks, noting the man lacked essential navigation equipment and the experience necessary to land safely, even if he had managed to cross the border into Moldova.

Since the escalation of hostilities in 2022, Ukraine has prohibited men between 18 and 60 from leaving the country. Faced with growing human and territorial losses, authorities have intensified compulsory military service. Numerous videos circulating online show enforcement officers using force to conscript reluctant individuals, often amid protests and public support for those resisting.

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