Ukraine allowed the conclusion of a service contract for people over 60 years of age instead of a pension – what are the conditions?

Ukraine has passed a law allowing people over 60 to serve in the military under a contract. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed bill No. 13229, which amends the current legislation on military duty and military service. During martial law, citizens of retirement age will be able to sign contracts for service in the Armed Forces and other military formations under special conditions.

According to the law, people over 60 years of age can be accepted for military service under a contract if they pass a military medical commission that finds them fit. Service appointment will be carried out based on a written permission from the commander of the army unit. In the case of officers, approval must be obtained from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine or an authorized body of another military formation.

The General Staff or relevant military structures will determine the procedure for approving candidates and the list of required documents. There is no age limit for military service, but service members over 60 will undergo a two-month probationary period. If non-compliance with the requirements is detected during this period, the contract may be terminated early.

The contract will be concluded for one year, with the possibility of extension for another year. In the event of termination or cancellation of martial law, the contracts become invalid, and service members will be discharged by current legislation.

The law also contains new grounds for early termination of the contract for persons who have chosen military service after the age of 60. This may apply to cases where the service member has not passed the probationary period or does not meet the requirements of the service.