The number of Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s war to seek safety European Union countries has risen to its highest level in two years, after Kyiv changed the rules to allow more young men to leave the country, official figures suggest.

In September, EU countries granted 79,205 new temporary protection decisions to Ukrainians — a 49 percent increase from August and the largest monthly rise since August 2023. The jump came after Ukraine allowed men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country freely.

By the end of September, 4.3 million Ukrainians were under temporary protection in the EU, a special status designed to cope with a mass influx of displaced people who cannot return home. Germany, Poland and Czechia hosted the largest shares, while Czechia had the highest ratio of temporary protection beneficiaries to the population (35.7 per 1,000).

Poland registered the biggest increase in absolute numbers, adding nearly 13,000 new beneficiaries, followed by Germany (+7,600) and Czechia (+3,500). Only France saw a small decline of 240 people.

Women made up 44 percent of all those protected, minors 31 percent, and men about 25 percent. Ukrainians represented over 98 percent of all people granted temporary protection under the EU’s scheme, which was extended in June until March 2027.

The figures come amid growing political unease in Germany and Poland, where politicians warned that the influx of young Ukrainian men could erode public support for Kyiv.

Far-right parties seized on the issue, accusing refugees of dodging military service and overburdening welfare systems.