Departure of men aged 18-22: has the Government’s decision paralyzed Ukraine’s border crossing system?
28 August 19:14
Allowing men aged 18 to 22 to leave Ukraine has not affected the efficiency of border checkpoints and has not created a rush or long lines. Andriy Demchenko, a spokesman for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS), said this in a commentary to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“This (information about long queues – ed.) is not true if we talk about the changes to the border crossing rules that border guards have begun to implement from today. It concerns male citizens of Ukraine aged 18 to 22 inclusive,” said Demchenko.
The speaker added that the clearance, which has been carried out by border service inspectors for men aged 18 to 22, does not significantly affect passenger traffic.
Queues during the summer are already quite high, and passenger traffic remains quite high both on weekdays and especially on weekends. And passenger traffic always increases before the weekend,” summarized the SBGS spokesman.
Olena Trachuk, a spokeswoman for the Chop border guard detachment, explained the queues at the Slovak border by the end of the holiday season. According to her, 35 cars are currently waiting to leave for Slovakia. A small number of men under the age of 22 have also crossed the border – only 8 people.
Men aged 18-22 have already been released from Ukraine: details
On the night of August 28, the first reports of men who wanted to use their newly acquired right to leave Ukraine legally began to appear on social media. For example, local Telegram channels in the Lviv region wrote that border guards were not letting those who wanted to leave. Border guards asked Ukrainians to get out of buses and cars in which they were traveling toward Poland. The reason was that the State Border Guard Service had not yet received explanations about the new rules.
On the morning of August 28, SBGS spokesman Andriy Demchenko said during a national telethon that men aged 18-22 had already begun to leave Ukraine.
Border guards already have the first men aged 18-22 who want to go abroad. Some of them have already registered,” Demchenko said.
He also emphasized the exceptions.
“This rule does not apply to men who hold positions in the civil service, state authorities, and local government, as provided for in paragraph 2.14 of the border crossing rules. Such persons, as before, can only travel on official business trips, the SBGS spokesman emphasized.
Demchenko explained that all other men under the age of 22 will need a passport and a military registration document when crossing the border.
MP Oleksiy Honcharenko, in turn, noted that former conscripts will also be able to cross the border and leave Ukraine without any obstacles.
Regardless of whether they are reservists or not, all citizens under the age of 22 will be able to cross the border. I was also confirmed by the State Border Guard Service that they will let everyone up to and including the age of 22. There should be no restrictions. The main thing is to have a military registration document,” the parliamentarian wrote on his Telegram channel.
Around noon, Ukrainian media began reporting that long lines of men aged 18-22 had formed at the border. Some of the young men told the camera that they had come to check whether they were really being released. Others said they wanted to travel but planned to return. According to eyewitnesses, the queues are growing, but the process of checking documents is going smoothly.
Russian media have already taken advantage of the situation and started publishing reports that “potential Ukrainian conscripts are fleeing the country en masse.” The propagandists even started manipulating the numbers: they claimed that more than 9,000 men had left Ukraine in 16 hours.
Returning to the media coverage of the day, the Western Regional Directorate of the State Border Guard Service reported that a queue to leave Ukraine had formed in front of the Ukrainian-Slovak checkpoint “Uzhhorod – Vysne Nemecke.” Citizens are asked to take into account the queue when planning their trip and other places of crossing the state border with Slovakia, in particular: “Maly Berezny – Ubl ‘a” (cars and pedestrians), “Mali Selmentsi ” (pedestrians), “Chop – Straž ” (railroad connection).
Ukraine has changed border crossing rules for men: what you need to know
Starting from August 28, 2025, Ukrainian men aged 18 to 22 have the right to travel abroad during martial law. The relevant decision is enshrined in the Cabinet of Ministers’ Resolution No. 1031, adopted on August 26. From now on, young men of this age group can cross the state border without special permits, regardless of whether they are in Ukraine or abroad.
To travel, they must have a foreign or biometric passport, as well as a military registration document in paper or electronic form. It may be required at border controls. At the same time, the resolution does not apply to government officials, including ministers, MPs, and heads of central government agencies. They still have the right to leave the country only on official business trips.
The State Border Guard Service has confirmed that it has already started allowing men under the age of 23 to cross the border on August 28. No significant increase in passenger traffic was recorded during the first day, although some citizens have already taken advantage of the new rule.
Government officials explained that this decision is aimed at strengthening the connection between young people and the state, providing them with opportunities to study, travel, and develop professionally abroad.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko explained that this decision is aimed at preserving the connection of the younger generation with Ukraine. It is also noted that the change will not affect the mobilization process – it begins at the age of 25, except for contract volunteers.
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This decision of the Cabinet of Ministers was the first significant easing of restrictions on men’s departure, which were introduced after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. It has sparked a lively public debate, as it touches not only on mobilization aspects, but also on issues of demography, education, and labor migration. The resolution is expected to affect the mood of young people and their strategies for the future both in Ukraine and abroad.
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