The Ukraine government continues to reinforce its military ranks and launched a new recruitment contract, with special conditions for young people between 18 and 24. This initiative comes at a time when the Ukrainian army faces significant challenges in its mobilization capacity, trying to respond to the needs of the conflict with Russia.
According to data from the Ministry of Defense, quoted by, in January 2024, a record number of 5,381 contacts in the country’s recruitment centers were registered, of which almost thousand began the process of military integration.
The growing need for recruits
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, thousands of volunteers have presented themselves to integrate the Territorial Defense Units of Ukraine. However, the need for military reinforcement persists.
The government reduced the minimum recruitment age from 27 to 25 years and, in April 2023, approved a reform that provided for financial incentives to extend the contingent of active soldiers.
The goal was to increase the number of military from 300,000 to 400,000, but the results fell short of expectations.
In November, Oleksandr Litvinenko, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, warned that the army still needed 160,000 new recruits to be fully operational.
Since the beginning of the war, more than one million people have been mobilized. However, maintaining this effective requires additional measures to ensure a constant flow of new recruits.
Diversification of recruitment methods
Traditional military centers remain the main means of recruitment, but have been unintended due to the demands of the conflict.
Those who choose this path are subject to the needs of the battlefield and can be highlighted for infantry, regardless of their competences or preferences.
To diversify recruitment, the government has created a network of almost 50 enlistment centers, allowing candidates to choose the unit, commander and the type of service (combat or not).
According to Olesia Goriainova, co -founder of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, this approach allows candidates to align their civil skills with military needs, increasing the motivation of volunteers.
Contract 18-24: a new recruitment model
Given the need to extend the military contingent, the Ukrainian government introduced in February 2024 Contract 18-24a specific program for young people between 18 and 24 years.
Ukraine’s contract offers an incentive package to stimulate enlistment, including:
-Muneration of one million Hryvnias (about 22 thousand euros), of which 4,575 euros are paid immediately after incorporation;
-Will specialized military training;
-Free medical assistance;
-Access to mortgages with zero interest;
-Possibility of traveling outside Ukraine after the completion of the contract.
Related:
The answer to this initiative was significant: in the first week only after the launch of the program, 10,000 young people of both sexes were signed up to participate.
Motivation and Challenges of Recruitment
Sergeant-man Denis Semiroh-Orlik, responsible for one of Kiev’s recruitment centers, points out that the army’s priority is to find motivated recruits.
“People need to understand that it is their responsibility to fight with everything they can,” he said.
The recruitment approach seeks to be cautious, especially for younger candidates (under 25) and the elders (over 55), to ensure that each has a proper role within the Armed Forces.
Conclusion
Ukraine continues to face significant challenges in the mobilization of troops to resist the Russian invasion.
The strategy of diversifying recruitment methods, combining financial incentives, and making enlistment conditions have been flexible has shown positive results, but is still far from collecting the need for new soldiers.
O Contract 18-24 It represents a renewed effort to attract young people, ensuring that the country’s defense remains strong and prepared for future challenges.
Also read:
