President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the decision to allow men aged 18-22 to leave Ukraine has not affected the country’s defence capability, and its aim is to ensure that as many Ukrainian boys and young men as possible finish school and university at home.

Source: Zelenskyy at a briefing on 29 August

Details: The president explained that statistics on schoolchildren and students in Ukraine are worsening, which is why the decision was made regarding the 18-22 age group.

Quote: "The statistics are worsening. The number of boys graduating from school in Ukraine is decreasing. We held wide-ranging consultations, first of all with the military and educators. If we want to keep Ukrainian boys in Ukraine, then we need them to finish school here. And parents must not take them abroad. But they are beginning to take them abroad before they graduate. And this is very bad, because at that time they lose their connection with Ukraine. Today this is a fact…

We understand that this age [18-22] is the university age, the student age, when children can not only finish school in Ukraine but, importantly, enrol in Ukrainian universities, not abroad. And most importantly, to graduate here. That is why this solution was found, which has had no impact on our country’s defence capability.

We do not see any mass departures. There is analysis… We believe that a large percentage will return after the war, but this requires work. If a child does not finish school in their home country and leaves, they leave not yet as an adult, and the risks that they will not return are very high."

Background: On 28 August, Ukrainian border guards reported that they had not recorded a significant increase in the number of people leaving the country after the law allowing men aged 18-22 to cross the border came into force that day.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!

From Ukrainska Pravda via this RSS feed