By Anastasiia Malenko

Escape from War: A Choice for Young Ukrainians

KYIV (Reuters) – A month before turning 18, Kyiv native Roman Biletskyi left his family and boarded a train westwards to escape Ukraine and avoid fighting in its ongoing war.

> "I delayed the decision until the very end," he told Reuters from his college dorm in Slovakia where he traveled to in February. "It was a one-way ticket."

Not all Ukrainian teenagers made the same choice. Andriy Kotyk, in contrast, joined the army early in the war in 2022 after he turned 18.

> "I thought everything through and decided I should sign up," Kotyk, clad in body armor and cradling an automatic rifle, said from his posting in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region.

> "I said … I will go to defend my homeland," he added. "It's better to serve than to run."

Ukraine has forbidden most adult males from leaving the country since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Interviews with young Ukrainians point to a bleak dilemma they face: should they stay or leave?

While most stay, some like Biletskyi have chosen to go abroad to avoid potential injury or death in trenches. As the war approaches its third anniversary, Ukraine seeks to bolster its depleted military ranks.

According to EU data, more than 190,000 Ukrainian boys aged 14-17 have registered for temporary protected status in EU countries since the conflict began. Although the military call-up age is 25, there is pressure from allies to recruit younger individuals, which Kyiv has resisted.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed the need for Ukraine to consider getting younger individuals into the fight, as currently, 18-25 year-olds are not participating in combat.

Personal Choices and Consequences

Neither Biletskyi nor Kotyk expressed regret for their choices. Biletskyi noted:

> "I thought I would regret it if I didn't go," recalling the emotional preparations his family made as he departed.

Kotyk graduated from music school but felt duty-bound to enlist, participating in the liberation of Kherson in late 2022. He admitted the war changed him dramatically, saying,

> "I got rid of childish thoughts."

The debate on whether young men should flee or fight has created societal friction in Ukraine, with some officials criticizing those living abroad while others fight.

The Need for Young Fighters

With the average age of Ukrainian soldiers in their 40s, the military recognizes a demand for younger recruits to maintain motivation and drive in combat.

Volodymyr Davydiuk, a recruiter, emphasized the difference between fighting at various ages. Kotyk's brigade seeks to increase recruitment among young individuals facing pivotal decisions, such as finishing school.

Ukraine faces severe labor shortages and declining birth rates due to the war. In the first half of 2024, just 87,655 children were born, down a third from 2021.

Almost 7 million Ukrainians, including 4.2 million under temporary EU protection, have fled since the invasion. To counteract this, Ukraine aims to encourage those abroad to return.

Svitlana Biletska, Biletskyi's mother, tearfully remembered their farewell but remained determined that he shouldn't return soon, believing it was the right decision for his future.

> "It was very hard to make this decision, but I am absolutely confident that it was the correct one because this is about him having a future. I can't see how that would be possible at home now."