17-year-old boys and girls are leaving Ukraine

Young people in Ukraine are increasingly leaving the country before reaching the age of 18.

This was stated by Ukraine’s Educational Ombudsman, Nadiia Leshchyk, as she commented on a troubling trend among high school students.

According to her, over the past year, there has been a significant increase in the number of both boys and girls leaving Ukraine a year before reaching adulthood. Leshchyk noted that the reasons behind this phenomenon are multifaceted: on one hand, the rapidly rising cost of higher education; on the other, fears related to possible conscription upon turning 18.

“We are observing a gap between the number of students who start 10th–11th grade and those who actually finish. These figures don’t align. I have personally spoken with parents who made the decision to take their children abroad. Many of them emphasize that their decision was influenced not only by financial factors but also by the uncertainty around conscription — especially in light of statements about the possibility of drafting individuals from the age of 18,” Leshchyk explained.

She stressed that the uncertainty about the future, as well as the stress related to the ongoing military threat, are becoming increasingly important factors prompting families to take drastic measures.

Education and demographic experts warn that if this trend continues, Ukraine may face an even more severe shortage of young people, including among prospective university students.