Ukraine orders military mobilization, bars adult male citizens from leaving country
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a declaration on Thursday ordering a general military mobilization and prohibiting male citizens between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving Ukraine.
The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine issued a statement saying the men must stay in the country during "the period of martial law." Zelensky declared martial law shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine early Thursday, giving him the ability to restrict movement.
The military mobilization will be in place for the next 90 days, and orders the "conscription of conscripts, reservists for military service, their delivery to military units and institutions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine" and other state security services, CNN reports. Zelensky has called on citizens to join the fight against Russia, saying the government will issue weapons to anyone who wants them.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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