Ukraine’s new fixed-term military contract programme has attracted around 8,600 sign-ups since it was introduced in June, according to a senior Ukrainian lawmaker, with the figure including personnel who were already serving in the armed forces.
Roman Kostenko, secretary of the Ukrainian parliament’s Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence, told Ukrainska Pravda that approximately 8,600 civilians and military personnel had signed the contracts introduced during the summer.
Because existing service members are included in the total, it remains unclear how many additional personnel the programme has actually brought into the Ukrainian military.
The contracts were introduced on June 15 as part of an experimental two-year programme intended to provide clearly defined periods of military service. Depending on the role, contracts range from six to 24 months and cover frontline infantry, combat specialties and rear-area positions.
The relatively low uptake comes despite substantially increased financial incentives for some frontline roles. Ukraine’s Defence Ministry says combat-related payments can reach a maximum of 460,000 hryvnias per month under certain conditions, in addition to basic pay and some bonuses. The maximum figure depends on the duties performed and is not a standard monthly salary for all personnel.
Ukrainska Pravda reported that the programme has faced considerable scepticism from Ukrainian servicemen.
Some soldiers interviewed by the outlet said they did not trust assurances that they would actually be discharged when their contracts expired. Others criticised the temporary exemption from remobilisation offered after completing a contract, arguing that the period was too short to provide meaningful security.
The newspaper reported that some military personnel have described the reforms as unfair and disproportionately aimed at attracting new recruits rather than improving conditions for those already serving.
Ukraine’s Defence Ministry publicly presents the contracts as offering greater certainty by establishing fixed service periods, a right to discharge and temporary protection from subsequent mobilisation.
The difference between those guarantees on paper and the confidence expressed by some serving soldiers appears to be one of the main obstacles facing the programme.
The recruitment effort comes as Ukraine continues to seek ways to maintain the size of its armed forces after years of large-scale war with Russia.
Kyiv relies on both compulsory mobilisation and voluntary enlistment, while repeatedly adjusting financial incentives and service conditions in an attempt to recruit and retain personnel.
The 8,600 figure does not by itself establish how far the programme has fallen short, as the Ukrainian government has not publicly attached a clear nationwide recruitment target to the scheme.
It does, however, indicate that participation has remained limited during the first four months of a programme intended to make military service more attractive. The fact that some of those counted were already members of the armed forces further reduces the number of genuinely new personnel added through the initiative.
Ukraine’s Defence Ministry is now reviewing feedback on the contracts and deciding which parts of the experimental system should be incorporated into future military legislation.