Ukrainian man reunited with family in Bulgaria after Nistru River incident

Alexei Kovali, a Ukrainian citizen who was pursued on the Nistru River by Ukrainian border guards near Holoșnița, Moldova, has arrived in Bulgaria to reunite with his wife and children. Kovali shared a video from Sofia on October 25 expressing gratitude to those who supported him during his journey.

The incident occurred on October 15 when two Ukrainian border guards entered the Republic of Moldova in a motorboat to apprehend the 49-year-old psychologist. Local residents intervened during the pursuit, accusing the guards of physical violence against Kovali. Following the encounter, Kovali was hospitalized in Soroca with a concussion and subsequently applied for asylum in Moldova.

A criminal investigation was launched by the Prosecutor's Office regarding the illegal crossing of the state border.