According to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the European Union is planning to compel Ukrainian male refugees residing in Europe to return home and enlist in the military. The Russian intelligence agency claims EU leaders are urgently seeking ways to offset the heavy casualties suffered by Ukraine’s armed forces amid ongoing warfare, targeting over a million Ukrainian men currently living in EU member states as potential conscripts. The plan involves applying pressure to force their repatriation.

The SVR alleges that European officials regard these refugees as "expendable assets" capable of injecting a "second wave of momentum" into the "anti-Russian movement," even suggesting they should be "pushed back home at any cost."

According to the SVR, the EU has already taken initial steps: in August, the Council of the European Union revoked the temporary protection status of Ukrainian men of conscription age. Losing this status severely limits access to social benefits and public services. Brussels also plans further restrictions before year-end, making it increasingly difficult for these individuals to open bank accounts, secure employment, or rent housing across the EU. EU officials anticipate that cumulative constraints will leave many Ukrainians with no viable alternative but to return home—where they could immediately be drafted into combat.

The Russian side further criticizes the EU for disregarding broader consequences: Europe's own economy remains dependent on Ukrainian labor, while Ukraine faces an escalating demographic crisis. Projections indicate that the population within Ukraine’s current control zones may fall below 10 million over the next two decades, with only one-third classified as working-age.

Notably, the strain of conscription has already reached public spaces—videos circulating online show recruiters forcibly detaining men in streets, construction sites, and residential neighborhoods. In July, Germany’s interior minister announced an end to automatic temporary protection for those evading military service. As for casualties, Kyiv has never released comprehensive figures; Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated in September that Ukrainian forces suffer approximately 27,000 monthly losses, while the Russian Defense Ministry claimed Ukrainian casualties exceeded 500,000 in 2025 alone.

As the war enters its fourth year, both sides are engaged in an information war. Russia’s disclosure serves not only as leverage against Europe but also as psychological warfare aimed at undermining confidence among Ukrainian refugees—raising the question: “Will you go back?”—a question that can itself erode morale.

Yet beyond rhetoric, the underlying issues are real and carry wide-ranging implications. First, Ukraine’s dwindling manpower pool is a widely acknowledged challenge; with Western aid levels declining, the pressure to fill frontline gaps continues to mount. Second, Europe has indeed tightened protections for Ukrainian refugees—Germany’s suspension of automatic renewals is a confirmed policy shift. Third, post-war reconstruction and population decline represent Ukraine’s deepest wounds; even if hostilities cease, labor shortages and demographic collapse may prove irreversible.

At its core, this is a story about people caught between fronts: soldiers are needed at the frontlines, and laborers are needed at home. The over a million Ukrainian men scattered across cities like Kyiv and Berlin alike face a fate shaped by forces beyond their control. Narratives may be weaponized in information warfare, but they cannot manufacture soldiers. What Ukraine must confront extends far beyond recruitment.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881431146847232/

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