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Ukrainian men abroad voice anger over pressure to return home to fight

Ukrainian men abroad are under pressure as Kyiv prepares to enforce a mobilization law aimed at conscripting desperately needed soldiers.

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May 3, 2024 at 1:00 a.m. EDT
Ukrainian recruits with the Aidar Battalion train in the eastern Donbas region in early February. (Wojciech Grzedzinski/For The Washington Post)
8 min

KYIV — With Ukraine desperate for soldiers to reinforce its crumbling defenses against Russia’s invasion, Ukrainian embassies have temporarily suspended consular services for fighting-age men, placing new pressure on them to go home to fight.

The suspension of citizen services, such as passport renewals, is intended as a preliminary step to a new mobilization law that will go into force on May 18. It will require all men ages 18 to 60 to update their personal information with a local draft office within 60 days.