Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fled their homeland in the first few days after the start of the Russian attack, and along with harsh recruitment measures, thousands more young people followed them who did not want to die in the trenches in eastern Ukraine: about 100,000 Ukrainians displaced. Individuals are registered in Austria alone, of whom 14,000 are able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 54.
Above all, the large number of these young deserters, whom the Ukrainian Armed Forces urgently need as replacements for the thousands of killed and wounded, will now result in the government in Kiev taking an increasingly clear stance against this large number. Groups of refugees: It was only a matter of time before, a few weeks ago, EU states called on young Ukrainian men to withdraw their right to asylum and to send those fit for military service back to Ukraine. The governments of Austria and Hungary flatly refused – this would be a major interference with statehood and the right to asylum.
Now the tone against Ukrainians who fled to the EU states and even the United States is becoming even harsher. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian government’s presidential office, is now announcing criminal prosecution against all compatriots who somehow managed to flee abroad with fake documents.
Podolyak: “Ukrainians who bought fake certificates and went abroad will have problems returning to their country.”
And: “There will be registers of people who received fake certificates, then they will have problems returning to Ukraine. If they do not return now, they will face some legal problems after the end of the war – the reasons why they left the country will be made clear.
He also said that criminal cases would be initiated against such Ukrainians.
So the governments of EU states should know: all able-bodied persons who have now received asylum in EU countries will remain so even after the armistice (if the current government in Kyiv is still in office). Austria can also expect that the 14,000 Ukrainians capable of military service will probably remain in the country forever – in Ukraine they now fear imprisonment.
