Ukraine seeks to return men of conscription age to the country – Respublika.lt

Ukraine said on Tuesday it was taking new measures to encourage men of conscription age to return to the country as the military struggles to hold the front line in part due to a growing shortage of personnel.

Ukraine said on Tuesday it was taking new measures to encourage men of conscription age to return to the country as the military struggles to hold the front line in part due to a growing shortage of personnel.

Kiev passed new laws this month toughening penalties for draft dodgers and lowering the conscription age to 25 by two years, part of an effort by the military to bolster its ranks.

“Being abroad does not release a citizen from his duties to the Motherland. Therefore, yesterday I instructed to take measures to restore the correct attitude towards men of conscription age in Ukraine and abroad. It will be fair,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba.

“In the near future, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide further clarifications regarding the procedures for obtaining consular services for men of conscription age in foreign diplomatic missions, provided for by the law,” he said.

He did not specify what measures have already been introduced or are under consideration.

A document published in Ukrainian media, which Kiev has not confirmed, indicates that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is suspending the provision of consular services to all Ukrainian men aged 18-60.

In a publicized letter signed by the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrijus Sybiga, it is stated that Ukrainian embassies will only issue documents to men living abroad that allow them to return to Ukraine.

The move will likely oblige Ukrainian men to return from abroad for various administrative procedures that could previously be done abroad.

Ukraine’s passport office announced on Tuesday that it had suspended the issuance of some documents at consulates abroad, citing “technical reasons”.

The Ukrainian army, which has been short of both weapons and men in recent months, has been steadily losing ground to Russian forces, which recently captured the eastern town of Avdiyivka and are now occupying surrounding villages.