UA suspends consular, passport services for military-age men abroad

5 comments

1. >Ukraine has suspended new applications for consular support for military-age men abroad, the Foreign Ministry announced on April 23.

   >Following the adoption of the new law on mobilization, a number of by-laws that regulate the work of Ukraine’s consular services “need to be updated to bring them into line with its requirements,” the Foreign Ministry [said](https://mfa.gov.ua/consul/forua/q-shchodo-timchasovih-obmezhen-u-prijnyatti-novih-zayav-na-nadannya-konsulskih-poslug).

   >Ukrainian embassies and consulates are therefore no longer accepting new applications for consular services for Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60, “with the exception of applications for registration of identity cards for return to Ukraine.”

   >The suspension does not apply to Ukrainians who find themselves in emergencies abroad, such as road accidents or natural distasters, the Foreign Ministry said.

   >Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also [wrote on X](https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1782698925100589223) that he “ordered measures to restore fair attitudes toward men of conscription age in Ukraine and abroad.”

2. Where do I begin with this?

   First of all, Ukraine is knee-deep in shit. They have problems with manpower, their military is becoming increasingly angry with the government, and now this.

   I don’t believe they can win. If they’re acting this butthurt over people who left, instead of fighting, then they REALLY aren’t winning.

   Ukraine should sign for peace. The Russians manage to press forward every day, and are still able to shell Ukraine with artillery and drones on a large and consistent basis. And Ukraine is unable to retake the occupied territories. I don’t like Russia, but it seems they’re winning.

   There is an ever-increasing discord between Ukraine’s military and the government. Ever since 2014, [groups such the Azov Battalion](https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1GV2TC/) have become much more powerful, much more disobedient of the military, and much more hateful of the government. Kyiv doesn’t have the Azov Battalion under control. They have them on a leash. One that is metaphorical, and will rip the second something goes bad.

   The Azov Battalion will see that Ukraine has lost, and they will blame Zelensky and Syrsky, and I bet they will try and take over Ukraine themselves.

   This structure of martial law, total war, the opposition banned, and no elections will not last long. Azov will see the failure of the government, and they will try and take over.

   Ukraine has the chance to buy more time, and sort some things out. If it doesn’t, then we can find out how badly this finishes.

3. What the problem? Or people abroad with passports like mine have some extra privileges? Nah, you will fight too or assimilate and stop parasiting on EU help for refugees.

4. They should’ve done this from the beginning. Many of the decisions made by the Ukrainian government have been utterly bizarre since they first drove the Russians back from Kyiv.    

   We aren’t talking about Moldova (no offense to Moldovans you’re just not that industrialized), Ukraine was a major producer of war materiel for the USSR. Kharkiv was *the* tank factory for the Red Army, Mykolaiv was a major ship producer, etc.   

   Yet for whatever reason the Ukrainian government decided that mobilization was too uncomfortable, they wanted *their lives* to continue on just like they had before the war. So they relied on fantastical promises from Western governments about materiel that rarely ever came, and now the Ukrainian Army is outgunned and being shot to pieces.    

   If the Ukrainians want to win this war they need to start acting like it. The amount of young single Ukrainians I see in my country (Canada) is absurd. If you aren’t a parent then you should be in Ukraine fighting to save your nation from annihilation. Otherwise you can’t complain if/when it eventually collapses in the face of Russian aggression.

5. Wow, harsh. I have some Ukrainian friends here in Finland and they are regular guys with jobs and families. Been living here for years (before the war), really unfortunate if they are refused such basic rights as passport services. Not all are Finnish citizens so they rely on the UA.