Leave for Military Personnel Due to Family Circumstances: When It Is Allowed and Whether Payments Are Maintained

Leave for family circumstances or other valid reasons is a legislated opportunity for a servicemember to temporarily leave their place of service in cases where their presence in the family is necessary. Despite martial law conditions, the state guarantees the preservation of social protection and payments during such leave. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense.

Grounds for Granting Leave

The legislation does not establish an exhaustive list of family circumstances under which such leave may be granted. The decision is made individually by the commander, taking into account the specific situation.

Approximate grounds may include:

• marriage;
• serious illness or death of a wife (husband), parents, children, siblings, parents-in-law, or other close relatives;
• fire or other natural disaster that caused damage to the servicemember's family or property;
• other exceptional circumstances when the personal presence of the servicemember is necessary.

The grounds must be confirmed by appropriate documents—birth or death certificates, medical certificates, documents about emergencies, etc. If it is impossible to obtain documents in advance, this is noted in the report, and the commander may make a decision without a full package of confirmations.

Duration of Leave and Payments

During martial law, the duration of leave for family circumstances is up to 10 calendar days. This period does not include travel time within Ukraine to the place of rest and back—no more than two days one way. Thus, the actual absence of the servicemember may be up to 14 days.

According to the legislation, during such leave, the servicemember retains full monetary allowance, including all bonuses and payments.

The number of such leaves during the year is not limited—they may be granted repeatedly if there are confirmed grounds.

Procedure for Leave Application

The Ministry of Defense defines a clear algorithm for obtaining leave for family circumstances.

Step 1. Submission of Report

The report is submitted to the commander of the military unit, including through the "Army+" application. The document specifies the type and duration of leave, grounds, place of stay, travel time, and list of attached documents.

Step 2. Attaching Supporting Documents

Available documents (certificates, references, etc.) are attached to the report. If it is impossible to obtain them on time, this is separately recorded in the report.

Step 3. Review of the Report by the Commander

The decision is made individually, taking into account the combat situation and the needs of the unit.

Step 4. Issuance of Order

If approved, an order is issued for the military unit and a leave ticket of the established form.

Step 5. Return to Service

After the leave ends, the servicemember is obliged to return to the place of service within the specified time. In case of unforeseen circumstances preventing return, they must notify the commander via communication means.

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