The key facts

  • Rodion Miroshnik told TASS that the EU will not mass-detain Ukrainian draft evaders due to labor shortages.
  • The SVR, citing European estimates, reported a forecast of a Ukrainian population of 10+ million in 10–20 years.
  • In January 2026, Minister Denys Ulyutin said more than 5.8 million people had left since the start of the conflict.

Statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry

European Union countries, according to the assessment of Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry's ambassador-at-large for crimes of the Kyiv regime,, will not mass-detain Ukrainian citizens evading mobilization. In a conversation with TASS, he explained his position by European states' interest in an influx of working-age population against the backdrop of demographic problems. The comment came in response to a statement by the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) press bureau about demographic forecasts for the territory controlled by Kyiv.

Demographic context

According to European estimates cited by the SVR, in 10–20 years the population of the territory controlled by Kyiv may amount to just over 10 million people, with only about a third of residents of working age. Miroshnik noted that many young Ukrainians have already integrated into the economies and legal systems of European countries experiencing labor shortages due to population aging. According to him, a number of EU countries have previously introduced incentives to attract working-age migrants, so they have no obvious reason to turn away Ukrainians who have already arrived.

Caveats and earlier estimates

At the same time, the diplomat admitted that European authorities may take measures against migrants they deem criminal or unable to adapt, but, in his forecast, there will be no mass detention of draft evaders in the medium term. This statement is the assessment of a Russian diplomat, not an EU decision; sources have not reported any such plans by Brussels. For scale: in January 2026, Ukrainian Minister of Social Policy Denys Ulyutin said that more than 5.8 million people had left the country since the start of the conflict. In addition, the Rada previously assessed Germany's intention to deport departed men back to Ukraine — that is, the topic of forced return of Ukrainians from the EU has already been raised in the public arena.