Payments to Military Personnel in 2026: How Combat Pay Differs from Monetary Allowances
Social protection of military personnel has become one of the key directions of state policy during martial law, as it directly affects the country's defense capability and the level of social guarantees for the defenders of Ukraine. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the system of monetary allowance and additional payments to military personnel has undergone significant changes.
As of today, monetary allowance is not just a "salary" but a complex consisting of a base rate, sectoral bonuses, and compensation packages that depend on the intensity of combat operations and the health status of the defender. Let's analyze the structure of these payments based on Law No. 2011-XII, Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 168, and Ministry of Defense Order No. 260.
Basic Monetary Allowance
The basis of financial support for a serviceman is the monetary allowance, which actually serves as a salary. Its amount depends on the position held, military rank, length of service, and conditions of service.
The permanent components of the monetary allowance include the official salary, rank salary, and length-of-service bonus. These payments form the basic part of the serviceman's income. As of 2026, the minimum level of monetary allowance for military personnel is 20,130 hryvnias.
In addition to basic payments, servicemen may receive variable components of monetary allowance. These include bonuses for specific service conditions, which can reach up to 100% of the official salary, additional payments for work with state secrets, academic degrees and titles, as well as monthly bonuses. The bonus amount cannot be less than 10% of the official salary.
Payments are made in the current month for the previous month in a single payment, without division into advance and main parts.
Additional Rewards
Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 168 provides a stimulation system that depends on the place of task execution and the degree of risk.
100,000 hryvnias is assigned for direct participation in combat operations on the line of contact. Importantly, this amount is retained for the serviceman during inpatient treatment after injury, as well as in case of captivity or internment.
70,000 hryvnias is a new cumulative payment granted once for every 30 total calculated days of performing combat tasks on the front line or behind enemy lines.
50,000 hryvnias is provided for persons performing tasks as part of troop group headquarters and command bodies that conduct operational control of units at the front.
30,000 hryvnias is paid for performing special tasks outside direct combat zones, including air defense of critical infrastructure facilities, demining, and intensive training in the Commander-in-Chief's reserve.
Important: according to the Supreme Court Grand Chamber's position dated May 7, 2026, in case No. 280/8933/24, these rewards are one-time, which excludes the possibility of compensation for delayed payments.
One-time Monetary Assistance (OTMA) upon Discharge
One of the most protected categories of military personnel regarding receiving one-time monetary assistance are those discharged due to health reasons based on the conclusion of the military medical commission (MMC). Legislation provides a special calculation procedure for payments depending on the type of service.
For career servicemen and those who served under a contract, the amount of one-time monetary assistance is calculated as 50% of the monthly monetary allowance for each calendar year of service.
For mobilized servicemen, a different formula applies: 4% of the monthly monetary allowance for each full month of service. The total payment amount cannot be less than 25% of the monthly monetary allowance.
Preferential calculation of length of service is important for the calculation. Time of direct participation in combat during martial law is credited on preferential terms at a ratio of one month of service for three months. Thus, one year of combat participation can be counted as three years of service, which significantly affects the amount of one-time monetary assistance.
Important: direct participation in combat allows counting length of service as 1:3, which critically affects the amount of one-time monetary assistance.
When determining the payment amount, the calculation base includes official salary, rank salary, length-of-service bonus, other permanent monthly payments, and bonuses. At the same time, additional rewards paid during martial law in the amounts of 30, 50, or 100 thousand hryvnias, i.e., combat pay, are not included in this base because they are temporary and not part of the permanent components of monetary allowance.
Unlike discharge by personal request or family circumstances, when discharged due to health reasons (based on MMC conclusion of unfitness or limited fitness), this assistance is paid regardless of the total length of service, even if the serviceman served less than a year — in such cases, the payment is calculated proportionally to the months served.
Assistance for Injury and Disability
If the injury resulted in loss of working capacity, the serviceman receives a payment linked to the subsistence minimum (SM) for able-bodied persons as of January 1 of the respective year.
When defending the Homeland: Group I disability — 400 SM; Group II — 300 SM; Group III — 250 SM.
Partial loss of working capacity: up to 70 SM depending on the percentage established by the Medical-Social Expert Commission (MSEC).
What other payments are mandatory upon discharge?
In addition to 50% of length of service, on the day of discharge and removal from the unit lists, the serviceman must be paid:
- Monetary allowance for the current month (proportional to days served until removal from the lists).
- Compensation for unused vacation days (both for the current year and previous years if unused, including additional vacations for combatants — 14 calendar days per year).
- Monetary compensation for unreceived clothing property (if the serviceman did not collect the entitled uniform according to the clothing provision certificate).
Payment "without pension rights"
If a serviceman is discharged due to health reasons but is not entitled to a pension for length of service, Cabinet Resolution No. 393 provides an additional guarantee.
Such persons retain the payment of monthly monetary assistance equal to the rank salary for one year from the date of discharge.
Condition for appointment: discharge due to health reasons without pension rights and having at least 10 years of service (in certain cases provided by departmental instructions).
Social Guarantees in Special Cases (Captivity, Death, Disappearance)
The law guarantees the preservation of payments for those who cannot receive them personally due to objective circumstances.
Captivity and disappearance: monetary allowance is paid to family members. A new provision allows the serviceman to make a personal directive specifying to whom and in what shares the funds should be paid in case of captivity or disappearance.
In case of death: the family is entitled to a payment of 15 million hryvnias. Funeral assistance and compensation for all unused vacation days from previous years, including "veteran" vacations, are also paid.
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