Ukraine is witnessing a mass return of citizens from Poland: what consequences await the deportees?

In the first half of 2025, according to the Border Guard Service, 361 Ukrainians were deported from Poland. What consequences may deportees face upon their return to Ukraine, and on what grounds can they be expelled from a neighboring state?

According to the inPoland portal, more than a hundred of the deported Ukrainians have come into conflict with the law and served sentences in Polish prisons for various crimes, from domestic violence to organizing illegal border crossings.

The situation escalated after the scandalous concert of rapper Max Korzh, during which the UPA flag was raised. After that, Poland decided to deport another 63 Ukrainians, and the process has already begun. Polish politician Michal Vos expressed the opinion that the deportees should be sent to the front.

However, according to Serhiy Serdyuk, Deputy Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, our border guards do not forcibly send deportees to territorial recruitment centers. He emphasized that deportees undergo identical procedures, like all other Ukrainian citizens returning to their homeland. Everyone who arrives in Ukraine is checked in the relevant databases, including the Interpol database, and detention occurs only if the person is wanted.

It is worth noting that, according to the Ukrainian constitution, the right of citizens to return to the country cannot be limited.

It was previously reported that owners of apartments and houses were required to make certain payments. Additionally, Ukrainians in Poland have benefited from a new system that streamlines many procedures, making their lives easier. There is also a threat that Ukrainians may lose free medical care in Europe.