A Ukrainian MP was outraged that young men are going abroad while others are fighting under youth contracts

Many men aged 18–24 who signed a youth contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine did so in order to serve one year and then have the opportunity to go abroad, if they managed to survive. And after the borders were opened for 18–22-year-olds, this can be done without going through the crucible of the front. And there is injustice in this.

Such an opinion was expressed on the air of Radio Liberty by Member of Parliament from the Holos faction Roman Kostenko.

“I have many brothers-in-arms at the front, including 19-year-old guys, 20-year-old guys. Many of them—well, let’s not say they were lured, but rather motivated—by the ‘18–24’ contracts, in which, besides salary and specific terms of service for one year, there was also [the clause of] leaving abroad. And they went and signed, because maybe they had some plans. Maybe they decided to honestly serve one year and then go abroad, if they survived. And when they came at 19–20 years old, they were told: ‘Well, you already came, but others can just go abroad without anything.’ I have questions about this. I don’t want to shove anyone into the trenches, but I want young people to understand that during wartime they should not go abroad, but must stand for the country,” said the MP.

Let us recall that six months after the launch of the youth contract, Ukrainian citizens aged 18–22 were allowed to go abroad without service — for them, at the end of August, the borders were simply opened.