MOSCOW, September 6. /TASS/. The number of Ukrainian citizens who went abroad since the beginning of this year has increased by 400,000 people despite a markedly tougher situation for refugees in EU countries, a macroeconomic report published on the website of the country's National Bank reveals.

It specifies that most Ukrainian refugees reside in Germany (1.1 million people), Poland (976,000) and the Czech Republic (361,000). The report also pointed out that 60% of Ukrainian employers complained about the shortage of staff at their enterprises.

Earlier, rector of the Kiev School of Economics Timofey Brik said that the population of Ukraine had recently decreased from 36 to 25 million people. The Ukrainian Center for Economic and Political Studies noted that the number of working-age Ukrainians has decreased by 40% compared to 2021, when this figure stood at 17.4 million. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, almost 10 million people left Ukraine after February 24, 2022.

The Ukrainian authorities have significantly tightened the mobilization rules in order to add more Ukrainians to the ranks over the grave situation on the frontline and the shortage of personnel. General mobilization has been announced in the country in February 2022 and has been repeatedly extended. Since May 18, the controversial law on new rules of mobilization came into force in Ukraine. The authorities are doing everything possible to prevent men of conscription age from evading service. Meanwhile, men liable for military service are trying to evade military recruitment officers on the streets, leave the country using forged certificates or illegally, often risking their lives. Many people try to cross the border by swimming or crossing the mountains.