Germany reports tenfold surge in refugee applications from Ukrainians

Germany has recorded a steep increase in asylum applications from Ukrainians after Kiev eased travel restrictions for younger men who are not yet subject to mandatory conscription, German media reported on Wednesday, citing Interior Ministry data.

According to the figures, the number of weekly applications rose from roughly 100 to about 1,000 after Ukraine allowed men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country legally. The exemption was introduced in late August. A spokesman for the German Interior Ministry told the Funke Media Group that Berlin could not yet determine whether the spike represented a “temporary development.”

Ukraine imposed a blanket travel ban on men aged 18 to 60 shortly after the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022, though its compulsory draft currently applies only to those aged 25 and older. Interior Minister Igor Klimenko described the decision in August as an opportunity for “education, internships, and legal employment abroad,” suggesting that the experience gained overseas could later benefit the Ukrainian economy.

Despite Kiev’s previous claim that no large-scale outflow had been observed, Poland’s border guard service reported a surge in crossings from about 500 to more than 6,000 per week at checkpoints in the Podkarpackie region during the first week of the new policy.

Ukrainian media outlets have since reported an uptick in resignations among young men seeking to relocate abroad, as well as a wave of social media posts lamenting the sudden decline in dating prospects among young women.

Conscription remains one of Ukraine’s most contentious domestic issues. Critics argue that the draft disproportionately affects poorer citizens unable to bribe their way out of service, while widespread avoidance has undermined the mobilization effort. Moscow has accused Kiev of fighting “to the last Ukrainian” for Western interests.

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