Despite an European Union decision limiting the entry of able-bodied Ukrainians to those granted explicit permission by Ukrainian authorities, approximately 6,000 more such individuals arrived in Germany over the past three months. This number is based on data provided by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland.” In June, the count stood at 413,633, rising to 416,409 in July, and reaching 419,613 in August.
Overall, the total number of Ukrainian refugees in Germany has not increased significantly, according to BAMF, even amidst heightened Russian air strikes. As of the end of August, 1,358,212 people who arrived in Germany due to the war in Ukraine were registered, up from 1,329,904 at the beginning of the year.
Separately, the EU Council definitively decided at the end of July to exclude men of working age from the automatic protection regime in the Union. Henceforth, only those who have served or are exempt from military service in Ukraine will benefit from the simplified reception rules. They must now provide proof-either through a stamp in their passport or an official certificate-verifying that their exit from Ukraine is legal or that they possess a military exemption. Under current Ukrainian regulations, able-bodied men between the ages of 23 and 60 are particularly affected, as they are subject to an exit ban in Ukraine.
Former Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) first called for these entry restrictions for able-bodied Ukrainians in early June. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) had previously communicated this stance in mid-April during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asserting that such a step was indispensable for ensuring Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
