Number of Military-Age Ukrainians Rises Sharply in Germany

The number of Ukrainian refugees of military age living in Germany has increased significantly, according to data from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), cited by ntv.

Between March 2025 and May 2026, the number of Ukrainians in Germany grew by nearly 95,000 people. Around 58,000 of them were men between the ages of 18 and 63.

While women and children made up the majority of arrivals during the early stages of Russia’s invasion, military-age men now account for almost 60% of newly arrived Ukrainian refugees.

The shift follows Kyiv’s decision in August 2025 to relax travel restrictions, allowing men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country.

Germany is currently home to more than 1.34 million people who arrived as a result of the war in Ukraine. More than 355,000 of them are men of military age.

The trend has fueled political debate in Germany. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has called for an end to the automatic protection granted to Ukrainians under the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive.

Under his proposal, Ukrainians would instead have to apply for asylum individually, which could reduce their chances of obtaining long-term residency.

The European Commission is expected to decide by the end of June whether to revise the current rules.

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