STRINGER/EPA
At the beginning of the war, Kiev forbade men between 18 and 60 years to leave the country. Now we relax the rules in the hope that younger people will return after some time abroad. “No one will come back,” critics say.
Ukraine relaxed the rules for traveling abroad of young men at age of military service. Since Thursday men up to 22 years old can cross borders without adversity.
The new rule had been promised by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in early August. The intention, according to Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, is that these young people “maintain the utmost contact with Ukraine.”
Until then, since the beginning of the Russian invasion, in February 2022, men from 18 to 60 years could not abandon the country – Given the exceptionality of the war and the need to mobilize soldiers to defend the territory. But in practice, young people between 18 and 22 were already exempt from military service. In the first two years of conflict, the country only summoned men from the age of 27; Since April 2024, age has been reduced to 25 years.
“The goal is to allow Ukrainians young people better study possibilities, Internship and Legal Work abroadso that they get experience and can put it at the service of the reconstruction of Ukraine, ”the Ukrainian Minister of Interior, Ihor Klymenko, announced on Telegram.
“We do our best to ensure that Ukrainian youth has access to quality education and international experiences, while still being a solid part of our state.”
Trips to the foreigner up to 23 years old
The new rule covers men who have not yet turned 23 on the day they cross the border, Ukraine’s border service spokesman, Colonel Andriy Demchenko, told DW.
There is, however, a exception for men who hold certain public positions. These are still prevented from leaving Ukraine unless it is a trip in service, Demchenko explained.
As men of military service are prohibited from leaving Ukraine, Many citizens sent their children abroad before reaching the age – A way to circumvent a possible call if the age of enlistment was reduced. For Ukraine, which began to lose more and more young people, this became a serious problem.
“We do not mobilize anyone before the age of 25. And it is not correct to remove them the possibility of leaving the country or returning home when they are already studying abroad. This way we will lose an entire generation. The young people fear back, because then they will not be able to leave again,” said the parliamentary Fedislavsky, from the same party as Zelensky and member of the National Security Commission, defense and secret services.
“No one will come back”
The justification of the Ukrainian government for the relaxation of the rules does not convince sociologist and researcher Oleksandr Hladun. Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, says you do not believe that a legal stay abroad will motivate young people to return to the country.
“This decision It will make people leave. No one will come back”Hladun told DW.“ On the one hand, authorities say there are not enough people in front and on the lines of defense, and that the job market needs foreigners. And on the other hand, they facilitate the departure of men, ”he was amazed.
According to the sociologist, the decision will aggravate the demographic problems of Ukraine. Especially young people between 18 and 29 years old want to live permanently abroad, according to a recent inquiry from the Independent Rating Institute.
“About 10% of all Ukrainians say they would like to live permanently abroad,” says researcher Oleksiy Antypovych. “Among young people aged 18 to 29, this percentage surrounds the 20% – that is, one in five. It is very significant.”
But for Antypovych, this does not represent a big problem. “Of course, especially young men want to go abroad, because from the age of 25 they can be called to the army. But we are frank: we are in the fourth year of war, all parents who wanted to send their children out,” he said. “Therefore, change should not have a critical impact on the demographic situation or other aspects in the country.”
