New regulations permit Ukrainian men aged 18–22 (up to their 23rd birthday) to leave the country without the previous travel restrictions. The prior policy barred men aged 18–60 from leaving because of potential future conscription, though the draft had mainly targeted men aged 25 and older and did not oblige men under 27 to fight during the first two years. The policy change aims to expand opportunities for education, internships and legal work abroad so that acquired experience can later benefit Ukraine. Some exceptions to the new rule apply for individuals holding certain government or state positions.
Previously men aged between 18 and 60 had not been allowed to leave Ukraine. That's because they might eventually be drafted into the army and the grinding fight against Russia. However, up until now, the draft in Ukraine has only targeted local men aged 25 and older. In fact, men under 27 were not obliged to fight for the first two years of the war. Still, the threat meant many teenage boys were leaving the country shortly before their 18th birthdays.
The goal of this step is, first and foremost, to provide young Ukrainians with broader opportunities for education, internships and legal employment abroad, so that the experience they gain can later be used for the development of Ukraine, " Ihor Klymenko, Ukraine's minister of the interior, wrote on the messaging platform, Telegram. "We are doing our best to ensure that Ukrainian youth have access to quality education and international experience while remaining a strong part of our state.
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