Ukraine opens its border to men aged 18 to 22
A look back at the border-rule change announced on 26 August 2025, and at the sanctions move that preceded it.
What changed for young Ukrainian men on 26 August 2025? Prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced that men aged 18 to 22 could now cross the border freely under martial law.
The decision reversed earlier restrictions that had barred men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country. Under the new rule, the youngest group of men was no longer covered by that ban.
Sanctions in the days before
Six days earlier, on 20 August 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on eight individuals and entities. They were accused of helping Russia evade Western sanctions through financial and cryptocurrency networks. The targets included Kyrgyz firms linked to A7A5, a stablecoin pegged to the ruble. Kyrgyz president Sadyr Japarov appealed to the UK over the measures.
The two developments were separate, but both were part of the public agenda during the Russian invasion of Ukraine: one concerned how Ukraine managed wartime restrictions at home, the other how Western states sought to close routes for sanctions evasion.
