In six months of operation, the Unity Hub Berlin advisory center, created to help Ukrainians return to their homeland, received only about 60 inquiries on this matter. Among those who contacted the center were only three men of potential draft age. The majority of Ukrainians are not yet ready to return from Germany until the end of the war.
German newspaper Rheinische Post reported this on November 4, citing data from the Unity Hub Berlin center and information from the Embassy of Ukraine in Germany. This information is also cited by Welt.
Since the center opened in April 2026, about 60 inquiries regarding return possibilities to Ukraine have been registered. Of those, only three inquiries came from men of draft age.
As clarified at the center, the majority of inquiries were informational. Ukrainians were interested in return conditions, available support programs, employment opportunities, and resettlement after moving.
The greatest interest in consultations was expressed by citizens of retirement age. However, even among them, contacting the center did not necessarily mean an intention to return immediately.
According to Unity Hub Berlin, the overwhelming majority of applicants consider returning only after the final cessation of active hostilities and stabilization of the security situation in Ukraine.
As of October 28, 2026, the center did not have confirmed statistics on the number of people who actually began preparing to return home after consultations.
How many Ukrainian men are in Germany
According to Germany's Federal Ministry of the Interior, as of the end of May 2026, more than 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees who received protection after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion were living in the country.
Among them were 265,804 men aged 23 to 60. However, belonging to this age category does not mean that all of them are subject to mobilization in Ukraine. Some citizens may have deferment, exemption from military service, or other grounds provided by law.
Previously, representatives of the German government have repeatedly raised the issue of returning Ukrainian men of draft age. In particular, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul advocated assisting Ukraine in informing conscripts abroad.
Why Unity Hub Berlin was created
The Unity Hub Berlin advisory center opened in April 2026 with the support of the governments of Ukraine and Germany.
Its mission is to help Ukrainian citizens maintain contact with their homeland, obtain information about documents, education, employment, social protection, and prospects of returning to Ukraine.
Germany provides premises for the center, while the Ukrainian side organizes its day-to-day operations.
At the same time, the center is not intended exclusively for the return of conscripted men. Its services can be used by Ukrainians of different age categories, including those who intend to continue living and working in Germany.
The published data reflect the number of inquiries about return at one advisory center. They do not allow determining the total number of Ukrainians in Germany who plan to return home, since citizens may make such decisions independently without contacting Unity Hub.
Based on materials from: Rheinische Post, Welt, Evangelischer Pressedienst.
