Some 32,000 Ukrainians flee illegally to Romania since 2022, 39 die in mountains – media

At least 39 Ukrainians attempting to illegally cross the border into Romania have died in the Romanian mountains since the start of the full-scale Russia invasion of Ukraine, the German publication Bild has said.

According to their data, Romanian rescuers have deployed nearly 400 times since the start of the full-scale war to save those affected, the material said.

"Since the start of the war, about 32,000 Ukrainian men have arrived illegally in Romania… They receive asylum and can remain in the EU. Here they are safe, they have nothing to fear," Romanian border guard Julia Stan said in a comment to the publication.

Head of a Romanian rescue team Dan Benga, who manages the rescue of injured illegal migrants, told the publication about plans to open a tourist route through the Carpathians from Romania to Ukraine after the war ends "in memory of all the Ukrainians who passed through the mountains here."

In Ukraine, according to official sources, about 1.8 million people liable for military service are wanted, nearly 250,000 are absent without leave (AWOL), 1.37 million are reserved from mobilization, and about 1.15 million have deferments.