Discharge from Military Service: Fedorov Outlines the Conditions and Timelines
17 June 09:50
In Ukraine, a mechanism for partial discharge from military service may be introduced in late fall 2026 for those servicemen who have served the longest in the army and have accumulated a significant number of days of direct participation in combat operations. Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov made this statement in an interview with TSN, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to him, this does not involve the simultaneous discharge of all military personnel, but rather a gradual process that will depend on length of service, combat experience, and the situation on the front lines.
When might the partial discharge from the military begin?
Mykhailo Fedorov stated that the start of the partial discharge process is scheduled for late fall 2026.
“We agreed on this with the president—and it was his initiative—that starting in late fall of this year, partial demobilization will begin for those who have been in the army since 2022 or earlier,” said the defense minister.
According to Fedorov, this mechanism is intended to enable military personnel who have defended Ukraine for many years to gradually return to civilian life.
Who is eligible for discharge
Decisions on discharge from military service are planned to be made based on two main criteria.
The first criterion is total length of service. The amount of time a service member has spent in the military will be taken into account.
“How many days you’ve been serving in the army. If you joined in 2014, that will count for more. If you joined in 2017 or 2018, you’ll be included as well. Everyone falls under this category,” Fedorov explained.
In other words, priority will be given to those servicemembers who have served the longest—since 2014, 2017–2018, or since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
The second criterion is the number of days in combat
The second important factor will be the number of days a service member has spent directly in combat operations.
“And the second criterion is how many days you’ve spent in combat. That is, if you’ve been serving since 2022, for example, and have a large number of combat days, then you may already be discharged from service by presidential decree at the end of this year,” the defense minister stated.
Thus, when determining the order of discharge, authorities will take into account not only the date of mobilization or the start of service, but also the soldier’s actual combat workload.
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Discharges will be gradual
Fedorov emphasized that there will be no simultaneous mass discharge of all service members. The process is planned to be carried out in stages so as not to weaken the country’s defense capabilities.
“The number of service members will be staggered; each month, a certain number of service members will be discharged,” he explained.
In other words, this involves the gradual discharge of a certain number of service members each month.
What will determine the order of discharge
According to the defense minister, the final decisions will depend on the situation on the battlefield and Russia’s next moves.
“It depends on the situation on the battlefield—whether Russia will announce an additional mobilization or not. It depends on many factors,” Fedorov noted.
This means that even after the mechanism is launched, the pace of discharges may vary depending on the military situation.
Will the presidential decree take precedence over the contract?
According to Fedorov, the presidential decree on the discharge of military personnel will take precedence even over previously signed contracts.
In other words, if a servicemember meets the conditions for partial discharge, they may be discharged regardless of whether a new service contract has been signed.
This mechanism is intended primarily for those who have been in the military for a long time and have accumulated a significant number of combat days.
Plans to Create a Calculator for Service Members
Mykhailo Fedorov also announced that a special calculator is planned for service members.
It is intended to help service members get a rough idea of when they may be eligible for discharge. This tool will take into account length of service, number of combat days, and other criteria.
According to the minister, the General Staff will be responsible for organizing the process.
What Will the Deferment Be Like After Discharge?
After discharge, service members are to receive a deferment from re-conscription.
According to Fedorov, the basic deferment will be six months. However, it may be extended depending on the number of days spent participating in combat operations.
Specifically, it is envisaged that for each day of combat participation, one additional day will be added to the deferment period.
Why is this mechanism being introduced?
The goal of partial discharge is to give military personnel who have been on active duty for a long time the opportunity to return to civilian life.
“So that service members can leave the military and get on with their lives,” Fedorov explained.
This approach is intended to make military service more predictable for service members while simultaneously maintaining the army’s combat readiness.
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