Ukraine launches enticing volunteer army program with high pay
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has introduced a military contract for volunteers aged 18-24 who wish to join the army. The annual income for participants in the program can reach up to 2 million hryvnias, which is nearly $48,000. These are not the only benefits.
According to Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, the initiative aims to attract motivated volunteers by allowing them to choose their position and unit independently and undergo intensive training.
"Change your life in a year"
The 18-24 contract is not about mobilization or compulsion; it’s an opportunity for a conscious choice, gaining combat experience, and financial stability within a year. Afterward, the volunteer decides whether to remain in the military or return to civilian life with new perspectives, emphasized Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
"Change your life in a year" resonates at the beginning of the promotional film aimed at training young people.
What does the contract include?
The contract includes three main training stages for recruits:
- Basic military training,
- Professional training in the chosen specialty,
- An adaptive course in the military unit.
Volunteers will receive 1 million hryvnias (about $24,000) in one-time financial assistance, paid in parts:
- 200,000 hryvnias ($4,800) – upon signing the contract,
- 300,000 hryvnias ($7,200) – upon completing the training,
- 500,000 hryvnias ($12,000) – upon completing the service.
Additionally, there is a monthly salary of up to 120,000 hryvnias ($2,800) depending on the combat tasks performed, along with additional bonuses for combat operations.
For comparison, according to the website work.ua, the average salary in Ukraine is 23,000 hryvnias, which is approximately $550 per month.
Additional social benefits
The program also includes a range of social benefits:
- Reimbursement of housing rental costs during service,
- The possibility of obtaining a mortgage loan at 0 percent after the end of the contract,
- Free education at higher institutions funded by the state after service,
- Free medical care, including dental and prosthetic services,
- The right to travel abroad after completing the contract service,
- Exemption from mobilization for 12 months after the end of the contract.
Pressure on Zelensky
Previously, Serhiy Leshchenko, an advisor to the head of the President's Office, stated that representatives of the US Democratic and Republican parties are pressuring President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the mobilization of conscripts from the age of 18.
On October 18, 2024, President Zelensky announced that the Ukrainian authorities do not plan to mobilize individuals 18 and over into the Armed Forces.
International partners are advocating for lowering the conscription age; however, Ukraine sees no reason for such changes and considers them dangerous.
