Ukrainian Teenagers Face Stark Choices: Fight in the War or Flee the Country
With most Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 barred from leaving the country, teenagers under 18 are facing a difficult crossroads: enlist in the military or flee to safety. Roman Biletsky, a teenager from Kyiv, left Ukraine just one month shy of turning 18. Speaking to Reuters, he said, "I waited until the last possible moment to make my decision." In February, he traveled to Slovakia to stay at a college hostel, marking the beginning of a one-way journey.
Ukrainian Teenagers Face Stark Choices: Fight in the War or Flee the Country
Ukrainian Teenagers Face Stark Choices: Fight in the War or Flee the Country
Kyiv: With most Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 barred from leaving the country, teenagers under 18 are facing a difficult crossroads: enlist in the military or flee to safety.
Roman Biletsky, a teenager from Kyiv, left Ukraine just one month shy of turning 18. Speaking to Reuters, he said, "I waited until the last possible moment to make my decision." In February, he traveled to Slovakia to stay at a college hostel, marking the beginning of a one-way journey.
Since the onset of the war, many young Ukrainian males have confronted this dilemma. While the majority have stayed, some teenagers have joined the military. The Ukrainian government is reportedly under pressure to lower the minimum age for military service from 25 to 18.
Teenagers now face two stark options: leaving the country to avoid conscription or stepping onto the battlefield as soldiers. This war has become a severe test not only for Ukraine’s men but also for its younger generation, shaping the future of the nation under extraordinary circumstances.
