Contract service for volunteers aged 60+, rank promotions, and guaranteed positions: key changes to military service

Volunteers aged 60 and over will be eligible to sign one-year contracts. The procedure for accelerated promotion to the next military rank has been clarified, and contract service members are guaranteed the right to serve in their selected positions.

These changes were enacted by Presidential Decree No. 108/2026. The decree amends the Regulations on Military Service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine provides an overview of key changes to military service.

Contract service for volunteers aged 60+

During the period of martial law, volunteers aged 60 and over may enter into contracts for military service. The duration of such a contract is one year.

It should be noted that participation is strictly voluntary and applies exclusively to individuals certified as medically fit for military service by Military Medical Commissions (MMC).

Men aged 60 and over are not subject to mobilization.

To enter contract service, volunteers aged 60 and over must submit the relevant applications and letters from unit commanders to Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (enlistment offices) at their place of residence or stay.

In cases where a volunteer is accepted for contract military service as an officer, the unit commander’s letter for concluding the contract is issued exclusively following approval of the candidate by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Who is eligible for accelerated promotion to the next military rank

A service member may be eligible for accelerated promotion to the next military rank if the following criteria are met:

• service in a combat unit engaged in combat operations (the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine establishes the list of such units);
• service in a non-combat unit, provided that the service member has performed or is performing combat (special) tasks for at least three months in combat units engaged in combat operations;
• performance of combat (special) tasks in combat units engaged in combat operations during martial law, followed by a determination by a military medical commission of unfitness for military service due to health reasons or fitness for service in military support units, Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (enlistment offices), higher military educational institutions, training centers, medical units, as well as logistics, communications, operational support, and security units, as a result of illness or wounding (blast injury, trauma, or permanent disability) sustained in the defense of the Homeland, with subsequent reassignment to other military units or return from a temporary assignment to the service member’s unit;

When service members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine may be promoted to the next military rank on an accelerated basis during martial law:

• after 1 year — for junior and senior non-commissioned officer ranks (junior sergeant, sergeant, starshyna 2nd class, starshyna 1st class), as well as junior officer ranks (junior lieutenant, lieutenant, senior lieutenant, captain);
• after 2 years — for senior non-commissioned officer ranks (master sergeant, senior master sergeant, chief master sergeant), as well as senior officer ranks (major, lieutenant colonel, colonel).

It should be noted that longer time-in-rank requirements apply to non-combat units (see the Regulations on Military Service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine for details).

Guaranteed placement in the selected position under contract service

A service member who has signed a contract is guaranteed to serve in the selected position for at least six months.