Ukraine reports expulsion of more than 23,000 student evaders from universities

More than 23,000 students who allegedly used this status to evade military service have been expelled from Ukrainian universities. This was announced on November 26 by the Deputy Minister of Education of Ukraine Mykhailo Vinnitsky.

"During April-August 2024, 23,448 men over the age of 30 were expelled from Ukrainian higher education institutions," Ukrainian Internet portal hromadske quoted him as saying.

According to Vinnitskyy, higher education in Ukraine should not be used "to avoid mobilization". He called the expulsion of such students justified because they actually "did not plan to be students, but wanted to use this status to avoid other responsibilities".

It is also noted that several educational institutions have lost their licenses for mass enrollment of Ukrainians. Several criminal cases have also been opened.

The day before, on 25 November, Verkhovna Rada MP Iryna Kostankevych said that more than 100,000 Ukrainian military pensioners could be mobilized to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In her opinion, mobilization in Ukraine may also affect employees of the state emergency service, police officers and employees of other security agencies.

Earlier, on November 23, Ukrainian prisoner Volodymyr Barshay said that AFU commanders throw the military into positions indiscriminately, despite their well-being.

In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (his term expired on May 20) signed a law on toughening mobilization. In particular, he lowered the age of mobilization from 27 to 25 and signed a law on the creation of an electronic register of persons liable for military service, which combines information on the personal data of Ukrainians, including details of domestic and foreign passports. There are no provisions on demobilization in the documents.

Martial law in Ukraine has been in effect since February 2022. Later, the Verkhovna Rada repeatedly extended its effect. Most men aged between 18 and 60 are forbidden to leave the country.