Soldiers under Contract 18-24 to receive mandatory mobilization deferment

Defense Ministry, in collaboration with the Parliament's Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, has refined the bill and will resubmit it to the Verkhovna Rada for a vote this week.

"This is about justice, predictability, and guarantees for young people who voluntarily choose the path of a defender. We must keep our promise," Fedorov wrote.

The minister expressed hope for parliamentary support, noting that these tools build trust in the recruitment system and the state while helping to "build a modern professional army where service is a conscious choice."

Contract 18-24 program for young volunteers was launched in Feb. 2025.

On June 27, the government approved the initial draft bill providing a one-year deferment from mobilization for volunteers who completed service under this contract.

By July 30, then-Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that the Cabinet submitted the bill to the Verkhovna Rada.