Thousands of military-age Ukrainian men in Poland are facing declining living standards and immense legal uncertainty. Fleeing to avoid mobilisation at home, they find themselves caught in a high-stakes bind between Warsaw's tightening asylum policies and Kyiv's urgent push to recruit more soldiers.
The situation is especially precarious for younger men. Many left Ukraine just before their eighteenth birthdays, knowing they would face restrictions on leaving the country once they reached military age. Today, they live in crowded hostels outside Warsaw, working in factories, warehouses, and delivery jobs while their legal status hangs in the balance.
Poland, which currently hosts about one million Ukrainian refugees, has steadily scaled back its support. Following the election of nationalist President Karol Nawrocki, Warsaw ended several special welfare and residency programmes for those displaced by the war. Ukrainians now face the same strict immigration rules as other foreign nationals under Poland's highly restrictive migration policy.
At the same time, Kyiv is increasing pressure on draft-eligible citizens living abroad. Ukraine has restricted men from accessing essential consular services, including passport renewals, unless they update their active military records. This is a step many avoid out of fear of being tracked down and drafted.
Adding to their isolation is a noticeable shift in Polish public opinion. A recent diplomatic dispute between Warsaw and Kyiv over World War II historical events has fuelled anti-Ukrainian sentiment, leaving many refugees feeling unwelcome in their workplaces and communities.
With the European Commission considering requests to exclude men of military age from temporary protection programmes, many see their options shrinking. Facing the risk of losing their lives on the front line or being pushed into undocumented status in Europe, thousands of young Ukrainian men are left waiting in an increasingly hostile environment.
