“One-way ticket”: Ukrainian army switches to a new service system

The Ukrainian government plans to introduce a new system of fixed-term contracts for military personnel to address the shortage of recruits and reduce the burden on existing soldiers. This measure is a response to the challenges facing the army amid continuing full-scale hostilities, The New York Times reports.

Currently, Ukrainian service members sign indefinite contracts, which often makes citizens reluctant to join the army. According to the publication, this form of service is perceived as a “one-way ticket” since soldiers actually have no opportunity to influence their fate. To improve the situation, the innovation will allow for contracts of one to five years, while maintaining mobilization as the primary method of replenishing the army. Persons who sign a contract for a period of two years or more will be given a one-year deferment from re-calling after completing their service.

According to experts, this step should become an additional incentive for those who have not yet decided to join the military. After almost 4 years of war, the country is facing a draft evasion problem. Military analysts emphasize that the army cannot afford a mass demobilization of exhausted soldiers, especially given the enemy’s numerical superiority.

Mykola Beleskov, a military analyst at the National Institute for Strategic Studies, believes that introducing fixed-term contracts can restore people’s sense of dignity and serve as a positive incentive to join the Defense Forces.

However, experts note that, so far, the plans for implementing the new system lack sufficient detail. The success of this reform will depend on the details of its implementation. One of the main questions remains whether the new contracts will apply to already serving military personnel, as well as how a possible re-call-up after the one-year deferment will be regulated.