Mobilization in Ukraine. An ally offered help and would send the men away

The issue of Ukrainian military conscription is back. The head of the Ministry of National Defense announced that the mobilization would also cover Ukrainians living abroad. The first person willing to "send back" the escaped men was found. It's about the Estonian government.

- If Ukraine needs it, Estonia will manage to find and return these people to the country

assured the country's interior minister. The first agreements on this issue are being prepared.

The Estonian government is ready to sign an agreement with Ukraine under which men of military age will be sent back to the country, ERR television reported on Friday. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has called for the return of men of military age who fled the country after the start of Russian aggression in 2022.

We are still discussing what will happen if they do not come voluntarily

said the head of the ministry, Rustem Umerov.

Estonia has repeatedly expressed interest in signing an agreement with Kyiv on the repatriation of men subject to mobilization.

Conscription in Ukraine

Estonia wants to send Ukrainian men back

- If Ukraine needs it, Estonia will manage to find and send these people back to the country - assured Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets.

- We basically know where they are and what they do. Most of them work; they reside in Estonia, he added. Although no official letters were received from Kyiv, the Estonian Ministry of Interior repeatedly contacted both the Ukrainian ambassador and the Minister of Interior to report refugees in the country if necessary, ERR reported.

In the coming days, Minister Laanemets is to present a written proposal to conclude an agreement between the two countries. Currently, the extradition of foreigners to their home country is only possible if a given person has been subject to criminal proceedings.

Volodymyr Zelensky on conscription: A delicate matter

Over 7,000 men from Ukraine who are of mobilization age submitted applications for temporary protection in Estonia.

Let us recall that President Volodymyr Zelensky was asked about the case during his meeting with the media on Tuesday. He described the issue as “delicate”. He said that the army expects the mobilization of 450,000 to 500,000 new soldiers. As he emphasized, the decision on this matter has not been made yet.