The Government of Ukraine yesterday suspended the services normally offered to Ukrainian citizens of military age (from 18 to 60 years) by that country’s consulates around the world, which includes the consulates of Barcelona and Malaga, as well as the consular section of its embassy in Madrid.
Kyiv’s decision comes amid a campaign to encourage the recruitment of new soldiers to participate in the defense of their country against Russia.
After 26 months of conflict, Ukraine needs military aid and more personnel. The first need appears to be on the way after the US House of Representatives unblocked more than $60 billion in aid.
To deal with the second, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s unicameral Parliament) passed a new law two weeks ago to improve and accelerate the incorporation of civilians into the army. Days before, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, signed a rule that lowers the age of those mobilized to fight at the front from 27 to 25. The aim is to increase the number of combatants with men to fill the void of casualties and, in addition, to allow the rotation of those who are at the front from the start of the fighting.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitró Kuleba said in a statement released yesterday that he had ordered measures to restore what he described as fair treatment for men of draft age.
“What does it look like now? A man of military age went abroad, shows his State that he does not care about his survival (that of the State), and then comes and wants to receive services from this State. This doesn’t work like that. Our country is at war”, he said.
There is only one exception to the measure: Ukrainian consulates will provide services to men of military age who return to Ukraine.
According to Eurostat estimates, approximately 4.3 million Ukrainians were registered in January in the countries of the European Union. Of these, 20% were adult men, i.e. around 860,000.
Last year the Ukrainian military high command estimated the need for new recruits at 500,000. Zelenski and the new military chief, Oleksandr Sirski, later assured that the need is much lower. But they did not offer any concrete figures.
The law approved by the Rada will take effect in May and states that men of military age have 60 days to report, remotely or in person, to conscription offices to update their documents. Men of military age abroad would need these documents to receive consular services.
“Being abroad does not exempt a citizen from his duties towards his homeland”, added Kuleba.
