More than half a million men have left Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war – NGL.media
The border of Ukraine (Illustrative photo: Depositphotos)

In October 2025, The Telegraph published data that allegedly in just two months, almost 100,000 male citizens of Ukraine aged 18-22 left the Ukrainian-Polish border. However, according to data According to NGL.media, since the beginning of 2022, 540,000 men of mobilization age have left Ukraine, about 70,000 of them illegally.

The media outlet requested monthly data on border crossings by Ukrainians between February 24, 2022 and November 2025 from border guards in Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Moldova, and Hungary. In particular, about crossings outside of official checkpoints.

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According to the data, Ukrainian men most often leave through the border with Poland – 188,000 people have left and never returned since the beginning of the full-scale war. In September-November 2025, about 60,000 Ukrainians aged 18-22 left the country.

Polish border guards reported that the difference between the number of entries and exits is 2.6%.

At the borders of Romania and Moldova, the number of crossings is lower, and the difference between entries and exits is 10.6% and 13.7%, respectively, or more than 342,000 people. In Slovakia, the number of entries into Ukraine across the border is higher than the number of exits. Hungary refused to provide data.

According to a minimum estimate by NGL.media, the total number of Ukrainians subject to military service who left the country legally during the war and did not return is about 470,000 (excluding Hungary).

As for illegal border crossings, they are supposed to be recorded in the Eurodac system, but the data is currently closed. However, several recovery services in Ukraine's neighboring countries have reported their data on the detection of illegal immigrants.

The highest number of cases was recorded in Romania – 31,000 cases, Slovakia – 3,951 cases, and Poland – 1,203 cases. Hungary and Moldova did not provide data. However, NGL.media estimates the total number of "defectors" in these countries at 30,000-35,000 people.

"This means that the total number of Ukrainians who have illegally crossed the border since the beginning of the war is conservatively estimated at about 70,000. Together with those who have left through official checkpoints, this number rises to 540,000 people," the media outlet notes.

As for Ukrainians aged 18-22, according to Polish border guards, more than 120,000 men left for the country after being allowed to leave, and more than 60,000 returned. Almost 44,000 Ukrainian men left for Romania, of whom almost 27,500 returned. Another 10,000 men left for Slovakia, and 8,300 of them returned.

"Thus, in the three months since the permission to leave Ukraine, about 78,000 young men aged 18-22 have left the country without return," the media outlet notes.

  • According to Polish border guards, as of the end of October 2025, in two months the border with Poland almost 100,000 men crossed the border aged 18-22.
  • Ukrainian border guards do not keep records of border crossings by specific age groups, but according to their data, men aged 18 to 22 are not only leaving the country, but also visit her.
  • The NBU noted that exit permit for men aged 18-22 did not have a noticeable impact on the labor market.