The Verkhovna Rada has registered draft law No. 11012 on motivation for military service, which provides for financial rewards, social guarantees, additional control over training, and increased prestige of military service. It should also create the basis for the start of the transformation into a "professional army" during the war.
"The registered draft law on motivation for military service provides incentives for people who are already serving and participating in hostilities, for those who will remain in the army, for those who have the opportunity to leave but remain, and for those who will sign contracts during martial law. Because effective asymmetric warfare requires professionals, and mobilised people alone are not enough. And the state policy should be implemented in this direction," said Roman Kostenko, author of the document, MP of the Voice party, Secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence.
The draft law proposes to increase the level of motivation of the population to join the Defence Forces for military service. In particular, the author calls for the establishment of payments to soldiers and commanders for the destruction and capture of enemy equipment.
In addition, according to the document, servicemen who serve for at least 12 months during martial law, of which at least six months are spent in combat, will receive a salary one and a half times higher, and those who have served for at least 24 months, at least 12 of which are spent in combat, will have their salaries doubled.
It is proposed to introduce a one-time financial assistance for those who, after 24.02.2022, concluded or extended a contract for service for a period of at least 3 years or until the end of martial law:
- soldiers - 120,000 UAH
- Sergeants - 160,000 UAH
- officers - 200,000 UAH.
For those who have the right to resign from service for family or health reasons but wish to continue serving, it is proposed to introduce a monthly additional remuneration of UAH 10,000.
If the document is adopted, everyone who has served for at least 36 months (including at least 12 combat months) or has not completed these terms due to injury, as well as those released from captivity, will be eligible for a business start-up loan with a rate of up to 5%.
Also, if adopted, all those who served for at least 36 months (including at least 24 combat months), wounded who continue to serve but are eligible for discharge, those released from captivity, and those who could not continue their military service due to injury will be eligible for a 3% mortgage for up to 20 years.
The draft law introduces an additional list of grounds for demobilisation in connection with the expiry of the term of service if a serviceman does not express a desire to continue military service:
- in case of continuous service during martial law for 36 months;
- or for 18 months of continuous service during martial law, of which 12 months were spent executing combat orders.
The document also provides for the right to preferential customs clearance of cars for those who served in the military after 24.02.2022. This right will be introduced by separate draft laws amending the Tax and Customs Codes of Ukraine.
The draft law proposes to establish life and health insurance for life in private institutions for military personnel who have served at least 36 months (including at least 12 combat months), as well as for those released from captivity, at public expense. The insurance also covers their families.
The document also mentions additional payments. The author proposes to set minimum pensions for people with disabilities caused by the ATO in the east of Ukraine, the Joint Forces Operation, and armed aggression against Ukraine:
- Group I - UAH 25,000
- Group II - UAH 20,000
- Group III - UAH 15,600
The document states that all conscripts who have not previously served in the military must undergo a mandatory course of basic military training. It will last at least three months and include the required levels of training.
The law will also establish mechanisms for monitoring the training of conscripts, and additional liability for poor training of defenders will be introduced for instructors and heads of training centres.