RUSSIAN CAUGHT SMUGGLING DEAD WIFE INTO UKRAINE

A RUSSIAN man tried to smuggle his dead wife into neighbouring Ukraine on Tuesday by disguising her as a living person buckled up in the back seat of their car, the Ukrainian border guard service says.

The man and his Ukrainian son said they were driving to the southern Zaporizhia region to have a funeral for the woman, who had died the previous day, spokesperson Oleh Slobodian said.

While Russian authorities allowed the family to pass, suspicions were raised on the Ukrainian side, the spokesperson said.

Photos showed the woman completely covered in winter clothing, including a warm hat and gloves, with a pillow over her face, while buckled up in the back seat. Ukrainian authorities have begun an investigation on suspicion of murder, the spokesman said.