Ukraine has launched the first phase of what officials describe as the most significant overhaul of its military personnel system since Russia’s full-scale invasion started.
The reform would introduce fixed-term contracts, higher frontline pay, and a pathway toward eventual release from service as Kyiv braces for a protracted war.
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The reform, presented by Deputy Defense Minister Mstyslav Banik during a briefing in Kyiv on Monday, aims to address one of the Ukrainian military’s most sensitive challenges: Maintaining troop numbers while giving soldiers greater certainty about their length of service.
For more than four years, thousands of Ukrainian troops mobilized during the early months of Russia’s full-scale invasion have remained in service without a clear timeline for leaving the military.
Public frustration over indefinite service has fueled calls for demobilization, while military commanders have warned that large-scale releases could weaken frontline units.
Banik said the newly approved contracts are intended to create a more predictable system without triggering a broader demobilization.
“For the first time, there will be clear service terms and guaranteed deferments based on combat experience,” he said.
Under the new framework, active-duty soldiers will be able to sign contracts as short as 10 months, compared with a minimum of 14 months for civilians entering military service.
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Upon completing the contract, service members will be eligible for temporary deferments from future mobilization.
“If a serviceman has been serving since 2022, by the end of the contract he could receive two and a half years of deferment, plus additional time based on combat service,” Banik said.
While officials repeatedly stressed that details of future releases from service are still being developed, Banik said Ukraine intends to prioritize those who have served the longest.
Exactly how wartime service will be calculated remains under discussion.
“Service before 2022 and service after 2022 will not be counted equally,” Banik said, adding that the criteria should become clearer later this year.
Boosting military pay
The ministry also announced significant changes to military pay.
Frontline assault troops could receive average monthly compensation of around Hr.300,000 ($6,700), while the minimum salary for personnel serving away from combat zones will increase from Hr.20,000 ($447) to Hr.30,000 ($670).
Officials said the additional funding had been found within the defense ministry’s existing budget, rather than through new appropriations.
Banik defended the decision to prioritize infantry units despite criticism from some soldiers who argue that support personnel, drone operators, and logistics specialists also face significant risks.
“Infantry remains the most dangerous job in the military,” he said. “We have a major shortage of infantry, and these are the people risking their lives the most.”
The ministry is also simultaneously expanding efforts to recruit foreign volunteers.
Banik said private companies may be allowed to help identify and screen candidates abroad before they undergo Ukrainian security checks.
Officials are also counting on the reforms to reduce unauthorized absences from military units.
Banik said the ministry expects “tens of thousands” of service members who left their units without authorization to return under the new system.
The changes form part of a broader military transformation effort led by Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who has argued that Ukraine needs a more sustainable personnel model as the war entered its fifth year.
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