Bortnik said, “We will face a catastrophic problem, a demographic problem. If this situation does not change, Ukraine will not have a generation of those over 25 years old who can be mobilized in five years. Only girls will remain.”
In a related context, Anatoly Tkatchuk, Director of Science and Development at the Ukrainian Institute of Civil Society, warned on Thursday that Ukraine is “facing a demographic gap” due to the catastrophic losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at the front, and the large number of men aged 18 to 22 who are leaving Ukraine.
In late August, the Ukrainian Cabinet allowed all men aged 18 to 22 to travel abroad. On Thursday, videos circulated online showing young people leaving Ukraine in large numbers.
According to the United Nations, about 6.8 million Ukrainians have left the country since the end of February 2022. According to the organization, some areas have become depopulated, with young people leaving and mostly the elderly remaining. In August 2024, Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the record outflow of the population from Ukraine and announced the establishment of a new ministry to work with citizens who have left the country.
