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Inside Ukraine’s First Total Army Overhaul: Higher-Pay Contracts, Clear Service Terms, and Foreign Recruitment
Ukraine is trying to make military service clearer, faster, and more professional: new contracts promise fixed terms, higher combat pay, paperless signing through Army+, and equal conditions for foreign volunteers joining the fight.
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukraine has launched the first stage of a major transformation of its Defense Forces, moving toward a more professional contract-based army with clearer service terms, higher pay, digital recruitment, and new opportunities for foreign volunteers, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on June 12.
The reform is being presented as the first comprehensive transformation of military service in Ukraine’s history.
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Its core principle is fairness: a soldier and their family should understand where the person will serve, how long the service will last, what pay they will receive, and what happens after the contract ends.
The first stage focuses on infantry and combat brigades, with new contracts, fairer salaries, clear service terms, discharge guarantees, and a “Mission Control” approach for infantry management.
A course of action has been approved – to increase the financial sustainability of our defense and ensure the continued transformation of the Ukrainian Army.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 12, 2026
First – pay. We have the resources to increase pay in the military. The minimum will be 30,000 hryvnias in rear areas.… pic.twitter.com/dr3Bzod4aA
Infantry-assault contract
The highest-paid new contract is designed for infantry, assault troops, combat medics, gunners, driver-mechanics, and other high-risk battlefield roles.
For civilians, the contract lasts 14 months. For current servicemembers, it lasts 10 months. For those who were previously discharged during the special period, the term can start from six months.
Pay on the line of contact is expected to average about $6,700. The maximum can reach more than $10,000 per full month.
The base rate is about $447. Additional rewards include $223 per day for tasks at combat positions; $447 per day for seek-and-destroy operations such as destroying small enemy groups, reconnaissance, evacuation, or retaking positions; and $893 per day for assault actions involving forward movement in combat.
Mobilized soldiers who perform the same combat tasks but have not signed the new contract will also receive pay under the new system.
Combat contract for drone, artillery, and EW roles
A separate two-year combat contract is planned for drone pilots, UGV operators, electronic warfare specialists, artillery personnel, and other combat-related roles.
The logic is simple: the closer a servicemember is to the front line and the higher the workload and risk, the higher the pay. The contract lasts 24 months. Monthly pay is about $2,680 for combat duty.
The base rate is about $447 a month. Additional monthly rewards include $670 for management and support roles; $1,116, at command posts; and $2,233 for combat.
If a servicemember performs first-line combat tasks, the additional payments are calculated under the same model as the assault and infantry contract.
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Basic contract
The basic contract is designed to set fair service conditions across the army, including rear-area roles such as paperwork, accounting, warehouse work, and other support duties. The contract lasts 24 months as well.
Under the new model, Ukrainian military personnel should no longer receive less than $670 per month. The expected range is about $670–$1,563 per month.
If a servicemember is later assigned to a command post, headquarters, or combat role, they may transfer to a combat position and receive up to $2,680 under the combat contract model.
Foreigners get same pay as Ukrainians
Foreign recruitment is another major part of the reform. Private recruitment companies will handle the search, selection, and logistics for foreign volunteers.
Foreigners will receive the same conditions and salaries as Ukrainian servicemembers. Ukraine says it wants to show that fighting in Ukraine and for Ukraine is both prestigious and financially worthwhile.
The new contract model is meant to make service more predictable for Ukrainians and foreigners alike: clear terms, clear pay, digital entry, combat-based rewards, and guarantees after service.
In addition, the new reform grants commanders of combat units pay increases. For command positions starting from the deputy commander of a combat battalion, salaries are expected to roughly double.
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Bonuses, guarantees, and discharges
Additional payments will apply equally across contract types.
A servicemember may receive $2,233 for each enemy soldier captured and $335 for an enemy soldier killed directly in close or small-arms combat.
Guaranteed payments include $603–$737, depending on military rank, for mobilized personnel and volunteers signing their first contract. Annual health-related payments start from $447.
The reform also introduces a clearer discharge mechanism after service. The stated goal is to let people rest, recover, and return to their families. The principle is that the longer a person has fought, the longer the discharge.
For example, under a 14-month contract, if a servicemember spends 10 months on combat missions, they may receive a three-year discharge. Six months of combat missions may bring a two-year discharge, and four months may bring a one-and-a-half-year discharge.
Contracts through Army+
Signing a contract is also being digitalized. In the Army+ app, a new “Contracts” button will appear in the “Services” section. Users will be able to submit a report for a specific contract type, follow the required steps, and track the status of their application directly in the app.
The goal is to make the process faster, simpler, and paperless.
“The Ukrainian Army is changing, and each change strengthens our entire state,” the Ukrainian President concluded.
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