The Ukrainian President wants to increase military salaries and promote the demobilization of soldiers mobilized earlier

Popular measures. Ukraine launches a military reform that should introduce phased demobilization and significantly higher salaries for soldiers engaged in combat, announced President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, May 1.

He particularly wants a “strengthening of the contract system in the defense forces”, so that “clearly defined terms of service are guaranteed and that – starting this year – phased demobilization becomes possible for those mobilized later.” He did not provide further details on this much-requested measure, while current legislation only allows demobilization once martial law is lifted, in effect since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022.

The Ukrainian President also seeks a significant increase in salaries: “the minimum level should be at least 30,000 hryvnias (about 580 euros) for non-combat positions” against the current 20,000 hryvnias (390 euros), according to Ministry of Defense data. “For combat positions, it should be several times higher,” he indicated, mentioning monthly payments “ranging between 250,000 and 400,000 hryvnias” in infantry positions (between 4,850 and 7,770 euros). Currently, a soldier fighting on the front line for a month receives an additional payment of 170,000 hryvnias (3,300 euros).

The details of this reform are expected to be finalized in May “and the first results should be achieved in June”, said Volodymyr Zelensky.