Teenagers dream of leaving Ukraine for Europe to avoid being drafted into the army – The Times

Teenagers are planning to flee Ukraine as Kyiv faces pressure to lower the conscription age.

This was reported by The Times.

The Times highlighted interviews with teenage residents of Kharkiv who are “preparing to leave Ukraine, possibly forever, forced to flee not only due to relentless bombardments but also fears of being sent to the front.”

“Many of my friends are now choosing to study abroad because it’s safer there. In a foreign university, there’s no risk of being drafted into the army,” said 17-year-old Dmytro.

For Dmytro, studying in Europe is a way to stay away from the front line: “I’m planning to study in Poland. Once I finish, I’ll decide whether to return to Ukraine or stay there. It’s safer there, no bombs are falling, and there’s no risk of being conscripted into the war without my consent.”

Another teenager, also named Dmytro, agrees: “I’m going abroad too. It’s so hard to study here with explosions outside and constant power outages.”

According to EU data, over 190,000 boys aged 14 to 17 have been registered as refugees in EU countries since the beginning of the conflict.

Ukrainian MP Oleksandra Ustinova, who lobbies for arms supplies in the U.S., revealed that Washington officials frequently ask why Kyiv hasn’t sent younger men to the front lines.

“There would be massive resistance within Ukraine, and we wouldn’t achieve the results we want on the battlefield because there aren’t that many people. Additionally, it would send a clear signal to families to evacuate their children. So, if we want to lose a future generation, then yes, that’s what we should do,” she stated.

Earlier, Reuters reported that Ukrainian boys nearing their 18th birthday face a “grim dilemma”: leave Ukraine now or stay, fearing they might be barred from leaving later or drafted into the military.

It’s worth noting that while Ukraine reportedly refuses to lower the conscription age—something strongly urged by the West, particularly the U.S.—debate on the issue persists.