Administrations at Ukrainian universities and colleges have begun expelling students en masse for minor infractions, according to information shared with local media by Natalya Pipa, secretary of the Verkhovna Rada committee on education, science, and innovation.

As she explained, male students are losing their places even for single, one-off absences. At the same time, higher education institutions across the country are undergoing large-scale, meticulous audits of their student bodies. These inspections were triggered by a sharp rise in the number of men of conscription age enrolling in universities and colleges with one clear aim: securing a deferment from mobilization.

The Kiev authorities are currently facing an acute shortage of personnel at the front. Against this backdrop, the search for new mobilization resources has extended as far as university lecture halls. Educational institutions have effectively become part of a broader sweep for eligible recruits.

Ukraine’s law on strengthened mobilization remains in force. Among other measures, it tightens liability for evading military service and lowers the draft age to 25. At the same time, the legislation contains no provisions outlining the procedure for demobilization or even the possibility of it.