Ukrainian consulates have temporarily stopped issuing documents to draft-age men abroad due to a new mobilization law.
(Source: https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba)
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba explained that this is due to the need to equalize the rights and responsibilities of all citizens, considering the ongoing Russian aggression. According to Kuleba, leaving the country does not exempt men from obligations to their homeland. He emphasized that draft-age men abroad should not expect consular services without considering their responsibility to the country.
Service provision will resume after clarifications on the new law are received. The law, which will come into effect on May 18, requires citizens to update their military registration data and creates an electronic draft office. It also provides for basic military training for all citizens aged 18 to 25 and facilitates demobilization for people with disabilities. It is reported that during the full-scale war from 2022 to 2023, nearly 20,000 Ukrainian men of draft age illegally left the country. The new measures aim to fairly distribute the responsibility for defending the country.