“Pravova derzhava”. Issue 37 (2026), pages 902–910.

DOI: 10.33663/0869-2491-2026-37-902-910

Kharchenko Ihor
Illegal crossing of the state border of Ukraine (art. 3322 of the Criminal code of Ukraine): interpretation of certain elements of the crime

ISSN online: 2617-9776 print: 0869-2491

The article highlights the problem of teleological interpretation of the elements of illegal crossing of the State border of Ukraine (Article 3322 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) through the prism of the concept of the draft criminal law reflected in the Explanatory Note to it. In the course of the study, taking into account the methodology used, the following main conclusions were made. The criminal offense provided for in Article 3322 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is, from an objective point of view, unambiguous and can be committed in a single form, namely, in the form of illegal crossing of the state border of Ukraine. Alternativeness is characteristic of such a feature of illegal crossing of the state border of Ukraine as the subject of a criminal offense, which is: a) any person; b) a person who is prohibited from entering the territory of Ukraine; c) a representative of a unit of the armed forces or other law enforcement agencies of the aggressor state. The purpose specified in the Explanatory Note to the draft law in the first reading (namely, the purpose of promoting the protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine by criminalizing the illegal crossing of the state border by representatives of the aggressor state) cannot be used for a teleological (purpose-based) interpretation of the provision set forth in Article 3322 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, since the draft law underwent significant changes before the second reading, and the Explanatory Note to the draft law in the version for the second reading was not formulated. The objective side of the crime provided for in Article 3322 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine covers both the departure of a person from the territory of Ukraine and entry into its territory. The method of committing a criminal offense under Article 3322 of the Criminal Code, namely, committing an act in any way outside the checkpoints across the state border of Ukraine or at checkpoints across the state border of Ukraine without the relevant documents, or with documents containing false information, characteristic of illegal crossing of the state border of Ukraine, is a mandatory feature of the specified composition of the criminal offense as a whole. The intent to cause harm to the interests of the state must be established only in cases where any person, other than a person who is prohibited from entering the territory of Ukraine or a representative of the armed forces or other law enforcement agencies of the aggressor state, illegally crosses the state border of Ukraine.

Keywords: illegal crossing of the state border of Ukraine, concept of the draft legal act, Explanatory Note, socially dangerous act, method of committing a criminal offense, subject of a criminal offense, purpose of committing a criminal offense, purpose of harming the interests of the state, person who is prohibited from entering the territory of Ukraine, representative of units of the armed forces or other law enforcement agencies of the aggressor state.

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Дата першого надходження рукопису до видання: 05.01.2026
Дата прийнятого до друку рукопису після рецензування: 03.03.2026
Дата публікації: 24.03.2026