Border rule change sees two-way movement of young Ukrainian men — Ukrainian MP

Ukrainian MP Iryna Friz spoke about this on Espreso TV. 

“At the committee meeting, this issue has not yet been considered (the travel dynamics of men aged 18–22 after the relevant law was adopted, ed.), as it hasn’t even been a month since this provision came into effect. On the other hand, we do see a mixed dynamic - so to speak, it’s not only about leaving. It also allows those who were abroad before turning 18, due to the full-scale invasion, to return to their families now that they have reached this age. And I believe this is a positive development, as it helps maintain connections with young Ukrainians who are currently studying or working abroad. Therefore, the issue of detailed dynamics has not yet been discussed, but over the course of a month, I think this is still a rather preliminary snapshot. We need to observe it for at least a quarter to get a proper sense of the dynamics,” she said.

At the same time, Iryna Friz noted that adopting the relevant resolution was a "fully justified step", which will help restore connections between Ukrainians who left before reaching adulthood and their families who remained in Ukraine.

“At the same time, I believe this was a fully justified provision and a necessary one, as it will have an impact in the long term, including on what we are currently observing in high schools. We see a decrease in the number of young people staying in Ukraine to attend Ukrainian universities directly. Therefore, I think this step allowing border crossing for those aged 18-22 - although I believe it would have been better to extend it to 24 - is entirely justified. Over time, it will prove not to be a threat to mobilization, but rather will help restore the connections needed by both families and young Ukrainians who, for one reason or another, are legally abroad today,” the MP noted.

• On August 27, Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers approved a resolution allowing men aged 18 to 22 inclusive to cross the state border; it came into effect on August 28.