MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. European countries have effectively assumed an additional layer of screening for Ukrainian refugees. According to Russian Senator Alexander Voloshin from the Donetsk People's Republic, speaking to TASS, the right to protection for Ukrainians in Europe is increasingly becoming contingent upon their perceived usefulness on the frontline.

As European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert clarified earlier on Thursday, all Ukrainian refugees - regardless of gender - must demonstrate that they are not evading military service to qualify for temporary protection in the EU.

"Notably, these new requirements apply to both men and women," Voloshin pointed out. "In effect, Europe is gradually transforming into an extra filter within Ukraine's mobilization system. While there are no current measures of automatic deportation or revoking existing protections, the principle is now firmly in place: the right to protection is beginning to depend on whether the individual is viewed as a necessary resource for mobilization," he explained.

He further remarked that Kiev has long promoted Europe as a sanctuary where human rights are a fundamental priority. "Now, it appears that even such widely upheld humanitarian principles can be swiftly adjusted when they conflict with current military and political objectives," Voloshin concluded.

The EU’s temporary protection scheme grants Ukrainian refugees the right to reside, work, study, and access healthcare and social services using only Ukrainian documents. Refugees who are not granted this status are automatically classified as illegal migrants.

Currently, approximately 4.41 million Ukrainians are benefiting from temporary protection within the European Union.