On June 12, 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers signed Resolution No. 768, which came into force on June 15. Formally, it is a change to military pay calculations. In practice, it is an attempt to replace the logic of "mobilized until the end of the war" with the logic of a fixed-term contract with a clear exit.
Three contracts — three risks
The Ministry of Defense introduced three types of contracts. The shortest and most dangerous is the infantry assault contract: 10 months for current military personnel, 14 months for civilians. Combat and basic contracts are up to 24 months depending on position. General rule: all can sign contracts for periods from 6 to 24 months.
The difference is not only in duration but in the formula for rest after service. For the infantry assault contract, a coefficient applies: each month on the frontline is multiplied by three — that is, three months of rest for every 30 days of combat. For 24-month contracts, it is one to one.
How much is paid and to whom
Basic military pay remains at 20,000 hryvnias per month. Allowances transform this amount beyond recognition: on the frontline, payments reach 460,000 hryvnias per month; for capturing an enemy soldier — 100,000 hryvnias. Separately, there are additional payments under the "motivation contract" up to 170,000 hryvnias, which appear in headlines but are only one element of the system, not the overall ceiling.
Military personnel who provide logistics and unit support without other allowances will receive at least 30,000 hryvnias. Instructors — an additional 15,000 to 30,000 depending on workload.
Return of "deserters" and amnesty program
In parallel with the new contracts, a program has been launched for voluntary return of those who unlawfully left their unit — without assignment to the reserve battalion and without criminal prosecution under this provision. This is a signal: the state is trying to bring people back with incentives, not just punishment.
Two years for testing
The experimental project will run until June 2028.
Cabinet Resolution No. 768 of June 12, 2026
The word "experimental" here is not merely formality. If the system does not produce results in recruitment, the government can wind it down or rewrite it before martial law ends. For consultations, the Ministry of Defense opened a hotline 1519.
The key question is not in payment figures, but in the mechanism of guarantees: if martial law is extended in June 2028, will contracts signed now remain valid — and who will be responsible for fulfilling the obligation "served — discharged"?
