Ukraine's military will pay front-line infantry an average 300,000 UAH monthly and guarantee post-service deferment under new contracts announced June 12.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a comprehensive transformation of the country’s defence system on June 12, introducing new contract structures, significantly higher pay for front-line troops, and expanded mechanisms for recruiting foreign volunteers — changes confirmed by Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Hnatov.

The announcement followed coordination meetings with Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov, and Minister of Finance Serhiy Marchenko. Ukraine’s parliament approved the necessary budget amendments to fund the changes.

“The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Hnatov confirm. The path has been agreed — to increase the financial sustainability of our defence and ensure further transformation of the Ukrainian army,” President Zelenskyy said.

The reform package addresses three distinct structural problems that have accumulated over four years of full-scale war: the absence of defined service terms, pay scales that do not adequately reflect combat risk, and insufficient foreign volunteer recruitment infrastructure.

Pay reform: combat-weighted, immediate

The pay restructuring ties compensation directly to the nature and risk of each soldier’s assignments — a departure from the flat-rate system that previously applied across positions of widely varying danger.

The new structure establishes a base rate of 20,000 UAH per month, supplemented by daily combat supplements: 10,000 UAH per day on a forward position, 20,000 UAH per day of assault-search operations, and 40,000 UAH per assault day. The minimum rear-area salary will rise from 20,000 to 30,000 UAH per month.

Under the new formula, the average monthly pay for a front-line infantryman will reach approximately 300,000 UAH, with a maximum of up to 460,000 UAH. Zelenskyy described the figure in terms that reflected both its scale and its strategic significance.

“There will be new, noticeably stronger contracts for infantrymen. 300,000 hryvnias on average on the first line. Everything rests on the Ukrainian infantry, on our Ukrainian infantryman,” he said.

Combat unit commanders will receive doubled salaries — a measure President Zelenskyy framed explicitly as an incentive to retain experienced military leadership within the force rather than lose it to attrition or post-service departure.

The Cabinet of Ministers is to approve the specific payment mechanism, with the first new supplements scheduled to begin in June 2026.

Three contract types: defined terms, guaranteed deferment

The second pillar of the reform addresses a structural problem that has affected both recruitment and morale throughout the war: the absence of defined service terms and clear post-service guarantees.

Three new contract types will be introduced:

  • The Infantry-Assault Contract covers infantry troops, assault fighters, snipers, and reconnaissance personnel. Contract duration is 10 or 14 months, after which the servicemember receives a guaranteed deferment from further mobilisation. The stated minimum deferment is six months, but in practice the period may be significantly longer — a soldier who served 10 months with four months of active combat assignments, for example, may receive an 18-month deferment.
  • The Combat Contract covers all other combat positions outside the infantry-assault category. Duration is 24 months, with a deferment guarantee after service.
  • The Base Contract covers logistics, headquarters, and technical specialist positions. Duration is 24 months, with a pathway allowing transfer to a combat or infantry-assault contract.

Soldiers currently serving under contract will be able to re-sign under the new terms, with their accumulated service time counted toward deferment calculations. Those who have served the longest and spent the most time on combat assignments will begin a phased demobilisation process before the end of 2026.

“Contracts will be structured so that there is clarity: contract duration of 10, 14, or 24 months, and specific terms — clear deferments. Guaranteed terms and real deferments,” Zelenskyy said.

Foreign volunteer recruitment: scaled up

The third pillar expands Ukraine’s capacity to recruit foreign volunteers — a programme that has operated since the early weeks of the full-scale invasion but has remained constrained by limited institutional infrastructure.

President Zelenskyy personally tasked the opening of significantly more mechanisms for attracting foreign volunteers, with private recruiting companies to conduct selection and direct volunteers to Ukraine. The stated ambition in accompanying Ministry of Defence communications is that foreign legionnaires should eventually constitute over half of Ukraine’s assault and infantry troops.

“I am grateful to all volunteers from other countries who fight for our freedom in Ukraine, understanding that this concerns the freedom of many other peoples,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The expansion of foreign recruitment infrastructure represents a significant doctrinal shift — from managing an ad hoc volunteer flow to building a systematic international recruitment pipeline with defined channels, selection standards, and integration pathways into specific units.

Supporting reforms

The announced package includes several supporting measures designed to improve conditions and effectiveness across the force.

A mission control system for assault troops and infantry will track position presence in real time, guarantee accurate combat supplement payments, and accelerate the location of wounded personnel. “The feeling for every soldier — they will find me,” the Ministry of Defence communication noted.

Simplified transfers through the Army+ application will allow automatic reassignment within a sector. Brigade effectiveness will be assessed across more than 160 performance indicators, with the aim of scaling the practices of high-performing units and identifying patterns that are costing lives.

A time-limited return window will be opened for soldiers currently absent without leave, allowing them to select a unit and commander through the system before returning to service.

Direct brigade funding, already operational on a monthly basis, will continue — providing units with resources independent of centralised procurement cycles. Brigade autonomy for conducting basic combat training will also be expanded.

Context and significance

The reform package follows a period of sustained institutional change in Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The establishment of the Unmanned Systems Forces as a separate branch in 2024, the 3rd Army Corps model of mission command and battle captain architecture, and the ongoing digitalisation of military administration through systems including Delta and Army+ have all contributed to what President Zelenskyy describes as a military in active transformation.

The pay and contract reforms address the human capital dimension of that transformation — the conditions under which soldiers serve, the clarity they have about their obligations, and the financial recognition they receive for combat risk.

“I expect that every element of the changes being implemented will demonstrate its effectiveness this summer,” President Zelenskyy said. “The Ministry of Defence will present the details of the decisions.”

Detailed contract terms and position selection are available at the Ministry of Defence portal.