Ukraine allows men between 18 and 22 years old to travel abroad
Ukrainian authorities announced Tuesday that they will allow men between the ages of 18 and 22 to leave the country and travel abroad, easing martial law imposed due to the Russian invasion.
Since the outbreak of the war in February 2022, men between the ages of 18 and 60 have been banned from leaving Ukraine, with the exception of a small minority.
Since then, thousands of these young men have been trying to leave the country illegally every year, sometimes risking their lives.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko said via Telegram that “the government has updated the procedures for crossing the national border… Men aged 18 to 22 will be able to cross the border without hindrance during martial law”.
She added that this decision applies to all citizens in the relevant age group, including those currently abroad who can therefore freely return to and leave Ukraine.
“We want Ukrainians to maintain their relations with Ukraine as much as possible,” she said.
Military conscription in Ukraine doesn’t include those between the ages of 18 and 22.
The minimum age for compulsory conscription in Ukraine was lowered to 25 years in April 2024.
More than 5.6 million Ukrainians have fled abroad, the vast majority in Europe, according to UN statistics.
