New contracts in Armed Forces of Ukraine will envisage base pay of 50,000–60,000 hryvnias for servicemembers – Shmyhal
The base salary for servicemembers who sign a new contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine may range from 50,000 to 60,000 hryvnias per month.
This was announced by Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal on social media, according to Censor.NET.
Details about new contracts in the Ukrainian army
According to him, the new contracts with the Armed Forces of Ukraine are planned to be introduced in early 2026.
- Clear terms of service. Contracts from 1 to 5 years. For contracts of 2-5 years, a 12-month deferral from mobilisation will be guaranteed after the contract expires.
- Base pay will increase to 50,000–60,000 hryvnias, plus bonuses, higher combat pay, and a signing bonus that grows with the contract length.
- The opportunity to choose a brigade and position.
- The option to sign the new contract will be open to everyone, primarily active-duty personnel.
"We are now preparing the necessary legislative amendments. We are building a professional European-style military that is and will remain the main guarantee of our nation’s security. I thank all the defenders of Ukraine who are fighting for our country and its future," Shmyhal added.
"50-60 thousand hryvnia — that's without all the extras...for the first line, second line, during wartime or peacetime. This is the base figure we are aiming for. We started from this number because our diplomats need to signal the Ministry of Economy, [the government]... The right signals must be sent so that we can find the necessary funding sources," President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said at a briefing following the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff meeting.
Background
Earlier, it became known that the Ministry of Defence had begun preparing new types of contracts for military personnel with guaranteed clear terms of service. Contracts for one, two, three, four, and five years are being considered.
