Ukraine moves to bring military-aged men home to fight

KYIV, Ukraine: Ukraine said Tuesday it was introducing new measures that would encourage military-aged men to return to the country, as the army struggles to hold the front line, due partly to deepening manpower shortages.

Kyiv introduced new legislation this month toughening penalties for draft dodgers and lowering the age of mobilisation by two years to 25, part of efforts urged by the military to boost its ranks.

“Staying abroad does not relieve a citizen of his or her duties to the Homeland. That is why yesterday I ordered measures to restore fair attitudes toward men of conscription age in Ukraine and abroad. This will be fair,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

“Soon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide further clarifications on the procedure for obtaining consular services within the legal framework for men of conscription age in foreign diplomatic missions,” he said.

He did not specify what measures had already been introduced or were being considered.

A document published by Ukrainian media, which was not confirmed by Kyiv, indicated the foreign ministry was suspending consular services for all Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60.

The published letter bearing the signature of First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiga said Ukrainian representative offices would only issue documents to men abroad allowing them to return to Ukraine.

The move would likely oblige Ukrainian men to return from abroad to undergo a variety of administrative procedures that were previously available abroad.

Ukraine’s passport office announced Tuesday it had halted issuing some documents in consulates abroad, citing “technical reasons”.

Outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian forces have in recent months been steadily ceding ground to Russian forces that recently captured the eastern town of Avdiivka and are now taking surrounding villages.

-AFP