Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 are now banned from leaving the country under martial law, Ukraine’s state border guard service (DPSU) announced via an interior ministry Telegram late Thursday.
The ban will continue for the duration of martial law, which was imposed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday morning after Russia launched a full-scale military attack on Ukraine.
“In particular, male citizens of Ukraine aged 18 to 60 are prohibited from leaving Ukraine. Such a rule will apply for the period of martial law. We ask citizens to take this information into account.”
The President has also started conscripting reservists, encouraged Ukrainian citizens willing to fight to come forward, and promised weapons for anyone who wants them.
President Zelenskyy announced his intentions to remain in the capital, and that his family will not leave Ukraine.
“The enemy has marked me down as the number one target, my family is the number two target. They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state.”
The total invasion launched by Russia, which was preceded by a declaration of war by Putin, marks the biggest attack on a European state since the second world war.
According to Putin, Russia’s ‘special military operation’ into Europe’s largest country is intended to stop the Ukrainian government from committing genocide against its own people.
Putin has also called Ukraine an illegitimate state whose land historically belongs to Russia.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief has already described responsive measures taken by the US, Britain, Japan, Canada, Australia and the EU to be “the harshest package of sanctions we have ever implemented.”
Russia is one of the world's biggest energy producers, and along with Ukraine, it is also among the top exporters of grain.
While the UN Security Council is set to vote on Friday on a draft resolution that would condemn Russia's invasion and require its immediate withdrawal from Ukraine, Moscow could veto the measure. It also remains unclear how China would vote.
Photo: ABC News