ZN.UA: Foreign Ministry instructs all Ukrainian consulates to stop providing services to military age men

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has ordered the heads of all diplomatic missions of Ukraine to temporarily suspend all consular activities in relation to Ukrainian citizens of military age. The ban will remain in effect until the law on strengthening mobilisation is clarified, according to a letter signed by First Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, which is available to ZN.UA. 

"Taking into account paragraphs 6 and 16 of part one of Article 8 of the Law of Ukraine 'On the Legal Regime of Martial Law', in connection with the ongoing large-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, in order to prevent citizens of Ukraine from avoiding the obligation to settle the issue of military registration by territorial recruitment and social support centres and the availability of military registration documents, I instruct that from 23.04.2024 to temporarily suspend consular actions on applications from Ukrainian male citizens aged 18 to 60," the letter signed by Sybiha reads. 

It is noted that only consular actions related to the issuance of identity cards for returning to Ukraine are possible. The Foreign Ministry's order is valid "until further clarification is received on the procedure for applying the provisions" of the law on enhanced mobilisation, which was promulgated on 17 April and will come into force in May. Paragraphs 6 and 16 of Article 8 of the Law of Ukraine "On the Legal Regime of Martial Law", to which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refers, provide for

6) to establish, in accordance with the procedure determined by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, a special regime of entry and exit, to restrict the freedom of movement of citizens, foreigners and stateless persons, as well as the movement of vehicles;

16) prohibit citizens who are registered with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine or the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine to change their place of residence (place of stay) without the permission of a military commissar or the head of the relevant body of the Security Service of Ukraine or the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine; restrict alternative (non-military) service;