Ukraine has increased pressure on military-age citizens living abroad to return to the country. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday the “temporary suspension of receiving new applications for consular services” for Ukrainians aged 18 to 60 living abroad. According to this, men in this age group will only be issued “identity cards for returning to Ukraine” until further notice.
It also said that a “mechanism for updating and verifying information on the military status of men between the ages of 18 and 60 who are temporarily abroad” is currently being developed. Once this is complete, “further explanations” will be disseminated. Men whose military status was legitimate could again use consular services. The Foreign Ministry did not specify how the Ukrainian state intends to deal with people who are staying abroad illegally.
Rules for mobilization tightened
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had previously stated on the online service That’s why he ordered measures to “restore the balance between men of military age in Ukraine and those abroad.”
Kiev tightened the rules for the mobilization of soldiers a good two weeks ago. Among other things, conscientious objectors are punished more harshly and those who do military service are released later.
After more than two years of war, Ukraine has fallen seriously behind the Russian aggressors. The army has recently had great difficulty recruiting new soldiers.