The Ukrainian government has approved temporary regulations barring military-age men from applying for passports abroad in an effort to address a shortage of troops, Reuters reports.
The Foreign Ministry stated that private agencies will no longer be permitted to handle passport applications, only government missions. This decision comes after Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba suspended consular services for males aged 18 to 60 until May 18. The Ministry stated that those seeking to return to Ukraine could obtain special certificates at embassies and consulates, with regular services resuming on May 18.
Hundreds of thousands of military-age Ukrainian men are living abroad, including an estimated 860,000 in the European Union. Kuleba criticized Ukrainian men still wanting to receive state services, emphasizing that staying abroad does not exempt citizens from their duties to the homeland.
