Ukraine forces men of military age to return home to do ‘duty to the Fatherland’

According to Reuters News Agency, on April 24 (local time), the Government of Ukraine announced that it would stop issuing passports to male citizens of military service age from Kiev’s diplomatic missions abroad.

People in the above groups who want to renew or re-issue their passports will have to return to their home country to do so.

This regulation is said to be intended to force Ukrainians who are mobilized to serve as soldiers abroad to return home and perform military service. Kiev has just entered the 26th month of the war with Russia and is facing more and more disadvantages, including disadvantages in numbers.

Previously, on April 23, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced the temporary suspension of providing most consular services to male citizens from 18 to 60 years old from now until May 18.

During this period, the only service people in the above group can perform at Ukrainian embassies and consulates is to apply for a special certificate that they want to return home.

Other consular services will only be provided again from May 18, when the country’s new military mobilization law takes effect. This law aims to increase Ukraine’s military strength by improving benefits for military volunteers and increasing penalties for those who defect to the army.

Reuters news agency confirmed that the number of Ukrainian men of military age living abroad is up to hundreds of thousands. There are up to 860,000 people in European Union (EU) countries alone. This number can completely be a strong addition to the Kiev army on the battlefield.

Mr. Kuleba affirmed that it is “unreasonable” for people who are mobilized to serve in the army to resolutely refuse to return home, but still want to enjoy Kiev’s public services.

“Living abroad does not make a citizen’s duty to the Fatherland disappear,” Ukraine’s foreign minister wrote on X.