**Culture Ministry Halts Travel Permits for Men**
The Culture Ministry in Ukraine has announced that it will temporarily stop giving travel permits to young male journalists and culture workers. This change is taking effect on March 3.
The ministry made this decision because some men were using their permits to stay abroad longer than allowed. Under martial law, which was put in place at the start of the full-scale war with Russia, men aged 18-60 are not supposed to travel without special permission.
Journalists and culture workers were previously allowed to travel temporarily for work purposes, as long as they had the right documents and permits. However, there have been many cases where men stayed abroad longer than permitted or even left Ukraine permanently.
The Culture Ministry is reviewing its rules to prevent abuse of this system. The suspension of travel permits will continue until a new set of rules is in place.
Ukraine’s military has been struggling with a shortage of manpower since the start of the war. Many young men have tried to cross the border illegally to avoid being called up for service, causing a crisis for the country’s Armed Forces.