In an effort to reverse the drain of potential soldiers, Ukraine's government has announced new restrictions on passport renewal for men of conscription age living outside the country. The Cabinet of Ministers revealed that men between the ages of 18 and 60, who are deemed fit for military service, will now only be able to replace their passports within Ukraine.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, millions of Ukrainians have fled the country, with a significant number seeking refuge in neighboring European countries. The European Union's statistics agency, Eurostat, estimates that 4.3 million Ukrainians are currently living in EU countries, including 860,000 men over the age of 18.

Poland, which is home to one of the largest Ukrainian diasporas, has expressed its readiness to assist in ensuring that those subject to compulsory military service return to Ukraine. However, the methods by which assistance will be provided have not been specified. Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, the defense minister of Poland, emphasized that Ukrainian citizens have obligations towards their state.

Notably, this decision has faced criticism within Ukraine. Opposition lawmaker Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze, who heads the Parliamentary Committee for Ukraine's European Integration, expressed concerns that denying military-age men access to consular services could result in legal challenges at the European Court of Human Rights. She warned that this action might push Ukrainians to seek citizenship from other countries.

Ukraine, with a population of 38 million compared to Russia's nearly 150 million, is seeking to bolster its military strength amid ongoing efforts by Russia to gain ground in the south and east of Ukraine. Earlier this month, the conscription age was lowered from 27 to 25 in an attempt to enhance the size of the Ukrainian military.

However, critics argue that this measure is a violation of individual rights and is unlikely to succeed in bringing Ukrainian men back from abroad. Oleksandr Pavlichenko, executive director of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, dismissed it as an emotional step without legal merit.

The U.S. has extended a lifeline to Ukraine's armed forces with $61 billion in new military aid, as President Joe Biden signed into law an aid package on Wednesday. In addition, it has been revealed that the United States discreetly sent Ukraine a number of long-range missiles last month, which Kyiv urgently sought to hit Russian forces behind the front lines. These Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMs) were utilized for the first time last week when Ukrainian forces struck an airfield in occupied Crimea.

While the aid and missile support are viewed as crucial to Ukraine's defense, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that it would not fundamentally change the outcome of the ongoing military operation. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the urgency of swiftly delivering the supplies to Ukrainian forces, who have faced ammunition and air defense missile shortages during the prolonged war with Russia.

On the front lines, the situation remains challenging, with fierce fighting reported around the town of Chasiv Yar, a gateway to Ukraine's defensive backbone in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian forces are under intense pressure from Russian ground assaults, aerial bombardment, and continuous artillery fire. However, they have confirmed that Moscow's forces have not yet entered the key eastern town.

The developments highlight Ukraine's determination to bolster its military capabilities and defend its territorial integrity against Russian aggression.