MOSCOW, April 18. /TASS/. Ukrainians have been applying for passport renewal abroad so as not to return to the country, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a news briefing.

"Ukrainians abroad are panicking. Frightened Ukrainians are queuing up in kilometers-long lines in front of embassies to get their passports renewed before the law comes into effect on May 16 so as to never return to Ukraine," she said.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed the mobilization law passed by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) in the second and final reading on April 11. The bill triggered a wave of criticism even in its beginning stages. Many Ukrainian analysts noted that the law will not resolve any issues with staffing the army but may trigger a rise in corruption because those eligible for military service will try to bribe their way out of serving. The law provides for stricter rules around the mobilization procedure, including penalties for evasion as well as clarification of the categories of individuals subject to mobilization.