Graduating classes in Ukraine are becoming "emptier" as young people leave the country, says Associate Professor Vysotsky
Graduating classes in Ukrainian schools are currently "half-empty" due to the mass exodus of young people abroad.
This was stated by Mykhailo Vysotsky, an associate professor at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
Mykhailo Vysotsky noted that young people are leaving not because of better quality education abroad, but primarily due to security concerns.
According to him, some families are deciding to send their children abroad in entire classes.
“When it comes to young men, [mobilization] likely plays a role, as many mothers want their sons to leave now because they fear they won’t be able to leave later,” he noted.
Vysotsky also highlighted the problem of a shortage of students in technical fields, which are critically important for the defense sector.
According to him, the decrease in the number of graduates leads to a shortage of applicants in engineering and technical fields, since a significant portion of young men leave the country after finishing school.
Earlier, the Ukrainian government updated its border crossing rules. Specifically, men aged 18–22 were granted the right to travel abroad during martial law.
The Border Guard Service began implementing these changes on August 28, 2025.
Earlier, the Head of the President’s Office, Kirill Budanov, stated that lowering the draft age to 18–25 is unacceptable, as it could cause long-term harm to Ukraine’s future.
Head of the President’s Office Kirill Budanov emphasized that mobilization in Ukraine must continue. He also announced plans to step up the fight against abuses by draft board officials.
