Conscription or a contract. The TCC has outlined the main differences and advantages
This was reported by the Kharkiv Regional Military Recruitment Centre.
Key features of contract military service
Contract military service allows citizens to choose for themselves a specific unit and role that matches their skills and interests. You can sign a contract without first visiting a Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centre (TRSC).
Contract terms vary depending on the conditions:
- standard contracts are concluded for a term of between 1 and 5 years (up to 10 years for military aviation pilots);
- new contracts are in place with fixed terms of service ranging from 10 to 24 months (infantry assault, combat and basic);
- for individuals discharged from military service whilst martial law was in force, a contract may be signed for 6 months;
- From 2025, the ‘Contract 18–24’ will come into force, allowing young people aged between 18 and 25 who are not subject to conscription during mobilisation to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Additional contracts are also available for people aged 60 and over, foreign nationals and stateless persons.
The main requirements for contract candidates include being medically fit, having a sufficient level of physical fitness (where required), psychological resilience and at least a basic general education.
Terms of service during mobilisation
Citizens called up to the Ukrainian Defence Forces during mobilisation are deployed to where there is the greatest need to man military units. Assignment to a military unit takes place after compulsory training.
Mobilised service personnel serve until the end of martial law and will be discharged to the reserve in accordance with a presidential decree. Early discharge is possible on individual grounds, in particular due to health or family circumstances.
It is possible to switch to contract service at any stage of mobilisation service, provided the requirements are met. To do so, a serviceman must submit a written request and complete the necessary paperwork, after which he continues his service in the same unit but with the benefits package provided under a contract.
What do contract soldiers and conscripts have in common?
Mobilised personnel and contract soldiers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine have equal rights and duties whilst on active service. In particular, they:
- receive the same pay, clothing and food allowances;
- undergo training and take part in combat operations;
- are awarded military ranks and may be appointed to command posts;
- are equally entitled to benefits for combatants.
Advantages of contract service
Contract service offers a number of additional financial and social benefits:
- a one-off cash payment upon signing the first contract;
- the opportunity to obtain a preferential ‘YeOselya’ home loan at 3 per cent (over 10,000 military personnel have already taken advantage of this);
- a preferential “YeOselya” loan at 0 per cent for service personnel who have successfully fulfilled the terms of the “Contract 18–24”;
- reimbursement of rental costs and financial assistance in the event of relocation;
- the opportunity to plan a long-term military career.
