“The war has helped us understand who we are,” says 17-year-old Kira, one of many Ukrainian girls now choosing to study abroad.
A growing number of young Ukrainian women are choosing to leave the country for university education abroad, raising alarm over the country’s post-war recovery.
Seventeen-year-old Kira Yukhymenko, from Lviv, says: “The war has helped us understand who we are… it has broadened our horizons.”
Since men over 18 cannot legally exit under martial law, the migration has been female-led. Many cite safety concerns, disrupted schooling, and better career prospects.
Teachers in western Ukraine report that over half their graduating students intend to emigrate. “They don’t see a future here,” said English teacher Halyna Pidhrebelna.
Poland, Austria, and Lithuania are now major destinations, with female enrolment surging. Ukraine’s Ministry of Education acknowledges the trend, warning it could undermine national recovery.
“We can make Ukraine a country where young people see their future,” said First Deputy Minister Yevhen Kudriavets.
But with schools bombed and the war ongoing, the question remains: who will return to rebu
ild Ukraine?