EXPLAINED: Which Ukrainian Men Will Have to Return to Update Military Registration

Ukrainian men abroad of military age would be required to return to Ukraine to update their military registration if certain rules had been violated previously, said the country’s Ministry of Defense on Tuesday, June 4.

Since the new mobilization law came into effect on May 18, Ukrainian men – both domestic and abroad – could update their data within 60 days through the Reserv+ mobile application.

However, those who received a “wanted” status are required to update their data physically, inside Ukraine at a Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC), said Ministry of Defense spokesperson Dmytro Lazutkin.

“If a person violated the rules of military registration, for example, he was removed from registration in one place, did not register in another, or did not register at all, left when he was not yet 17 years old, then now is the time,” said Lazutkin on television.

Under the new law, those without valid military registration would also be barred from receiving consular services, such as passport renewal, meaning that Ukrainian men abroad who received the “wanted” status would be unable to receive consular services.

However, since Ukrainian males aged 18-60 are banned from leaving the country under martial law, those who return will likely be unable to leave later.

The ministry also told RBC Ukraine a list of circumstances of how a Ukrainian can receive a “wanted” status in Reserv+:

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• Did not register for the military when he turned 17;
• With a medical or pharmaceutical education but did not register for the military;
• Removed from military registration and did not return to it within the required time;
• Removed from the military register and did not enter it after May 18;
• Does not live at the registered place of residence and has not reported this to the TRC;
• Did not appear after the summons at the TRC on the specified date without valid reasons.
• Received a referral to undergo a medical examination, refused to undergo a medical examination or did not appear at the TRC after passing it;
• Did not appear at the TRC after receiving a summons for military service.

However, the ministry also said the “wanted” status could be issued by mistake, though Deputy Defense Minister Kateryna Chornohorenko said it would be rectified shortly.

Lazutkin said that as of Tuesday, more than a million Ukrainians, including some 18,000 abroad, had updated their data on Reserv+.

“If we talk about women, there are about 190,000. Among those who have updated their data, 164,000 are reserves, more than 153,000 are conscripts, and more than 90,000 have been deferred,” he said.

Lazutkin also emphasized the obligations to the country for Ukrainian men abroad, which mirrored Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba’s April statement.

“But let me remind you that those Ukrainians who are abroad, they remain our citizens one way or another, and the relevant legislation applies to them,” said Lazutkin.