Ukraine, which is seeking to recover citizens old enough to combat the Russian invasion, will stop issuing passports abroad to men aged between 18 and 60, the country’s government announced this Wednesday. For men covered by the measure, the transfer of passports to a “Ukrainian diplomatic subdivision or mission abroad for the purpose of issuing them will not be carried out”.
The decision was announced a day after the head of Ukrainian diplomacy, Dmytro Kuleba, announced imminent measures to bring men of fighting age living abroad back to the country. “The fact of staying abroad does not exempt a citizen from his duties towards his homeland”, argued Kuleba, without mentioning what measures will be taken to return men of fighting age to the national territory from abroad.
Ukraine currently prohibits men of fighting age from traveling abroad, with few exceptions. Ukraine, whose army is facing difficulties in confronting Russian troops, recently adopted a mobilization law that aims to toughen punishments for those who refuse to carry out their military service, having lowered the age of mobilization from 27 to 25 years.
Fighting a Russian invasion for two years, Ukraine is in dire need of soldiers, especially as Kiev expects Russia to launch a new offensive in the coming weeks or months.
