Military personnel given a 100-day "window" for voluntary return from AWOL to chosen unit

The government has approved an experimental mechanism designed to simplify the voluntary return to service of military personnel who, during martial law, left their military units without permission or deserted.

The new procedure allows individuals to independently choose a military unit for further service, submit a report via an electronic cabinet or other designated means, and undergo an accelerated verification process.

The experiment will last 100 calendar days and will apply to servicemembers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, and the National Guard.

Who can use the mechanism

The right to voluntary return will be granted to servicemembers who:

• left military units without permission or deserted during martial law;
• did not return to their place of service before the resolution came into effect;
• wish to continue military service;
• or are in the status of persons whose military service was suspended.

For each category of troops, a list of military units will be formed to which such servicemembers can submit a report for service. The list will be approved by the Ministry of Defense and the Main Directorate of the National Guard.

How to submit a report

Servicemembers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine can submit a report:

• through the servicemember's electronic cabinet on the state web portal of electronic services in the field of national security and defense;
• through Armed Forces recruitment centers;
• directly to the chosen military unit.

Servicemembers of the State Special Transport Service may submit a report via the portal or directly to the chosen military unit.

For National Guard servicemembers, report submission will be done through the electronic cabinet on the portal of the Image-Publishing Center of the National Guard. The report must be accompanied by a recommendation letter from the military unit where the servicemember wishes to serve, as well as a copy of the military ID or another document confirming service.

Submitting multiple reports simultaneously is prohibited.

Verification deadlines

For the Armed Forces and the State Special Transport Service, verification of the information provided in the report will take no more than seven calendar days. Military units will verify the fact of AWOL or desertion, failure to return to the place of service, previous position of the servicemember, and information regarding suspension of service.

In the National Guard, verification will be carried out within a shortened period — up to 48 hours from the moment the documents are received.

Refusal to satisfy the report can only occur in cases explicitly defined by the procedure. In particular, if the person does not belong to the specified categories or if the necessary data for decision-making is missing. Refusal on other grounds is strictly prohibited.

What happens after the report is approved

In case of a positive decision, information about the servicemember will be displayed on the portal for 120 hours.

For Armed Forces servicemembers:

• after submitting the report through the portal, the person must arrive at the chosen military unit within 120 hours;
• after submission through the recruitment center — within five calendar days.

For State Special Transport Service servicemembers, the arrival deadline is 120 hours from the moment of receiving notification of report approval.

For National Guard servicemembers, after signing the transfer order, they must arrive at the chosen military unit within 48 hours.

Resumption of service and provision

Upon arrival at the new military unit, servicemembers will be enrolled in the personnel lists or temporarily arrived personnel lists depending on their status.

For persons whose military service was suspended, upon arrival:

• military service will be resumed;
• the contract will continue to be valid;
• payment of monetary allowance will be restored;
• clothing and other types of provision will be resumed;
• assignment to a position will be carried out.

A simplified procedure for transferring personal files and other documents between military units is also provided.

Guarantee against repeated transfer

The procedure establishes an additional guarantee for servicemembers who voluntarily return to service. For six months from the date of enrollment in the personnel lists of the chosen military unit, they can be transferred to another military unit only with written consent. Exceptions are cases of liquidation, reorganization, or disbandment of the respective military unit.

Criminal liability issues

The document separately states that exemption from criminal liability under Articles 407 and 408 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for servicemembers who voluntarily returned to perform military service duties within this mechanism will be carried out in the manner established by law.

Other government changes

The resolution also amends the Procedure for implementing the experimental project to improve the mechanism of relocating Armed Forces servicemembers on their initiative, approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1291 dated November 12, 2024. Certain subparagraphs have been excluded and references to document norms clarified.

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