Recent statements from Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Defense, Mstyslav Banik, have clarified the distinctions between the pay and service conditions for contract soldiers and mobilized troops in the Ukrainian army. While both groups receive similar financial compensation, their terms of service differ significantly.
Banik emphasized that a contract soldier and a mobilized infantryman serving side by side would earn equivalent salaries. However, the critical difference lies in the contract soldier’s ability to receive a deferment after ten months of service, allowing them to return home, while the mobilized soldier must continue serving until demobilization.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has recently introduced a comprehensive reform aimed at overhauling the payment system and service conditions within the military. Under the new regulations, Ukrainian infantry soldiers are set to receive some of the highest salaries globally for combat roles, averaging 300,000 hryvnias per month, with potential maximum payments reaching 460,000 hryvnias.
Additionally, the minimum pay for support roles will increase to 30,000 hryvnias. To enhance recruitment, the government plans to open the market to foreign recruits, targeting a composition where foreign legionnaires could make up more than half of the personnel in assault and infantry units.
As part of the reforms, three types of contracts will now be available for military personnel: an infantry-assault contract lasting 10 to 14 months, a combat contract for 24 months, and a basic contract also for 24 months. A notable feature of these new terms is the guaranteed deferment from mobilization following the completion of service, which will vary based on the duration of frontline service and prior combat experience.
For those who previously left their units without permission, the government is establishing a special 100-day window for official return to service. This process will be facilitated through digital applications like “Army+” or at recruitment centers.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has outlined new reforms regarding military pay and service conditions, highlighting the differences between contract soldiers and mobilized troops. While both groups receive similar salaries, contract soldiers benefit from a deferment after a set period, allowing for a return home, unlike their mobilized counterparts.