In the coming months, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine plans a large-scale transformation of the recruitment and service conditions in the Defense Forces. This was announced by Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who noted that these reforms are being developed in close cooperation with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, since his appointment on January 14, 2026.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Key Changes in the Service and Recruitment System
Mykhailo Fedorov stated that the first projects aimed at creating a fair model of monetary support, updating the contract system with clearly defined service terms, and a clear rotation procedure are already being prepared for implementation. New approaches to staffing are also planned, as well as a reduction in the percentage of unauthorized departures from units. In addition, other changes aimed at increasing the efficiency of units are also planned.
“We are preparing to implement the first projects: a fair model of monetary support, a new contract system with clear service terms and a logical rotation process, new approaches to staffing our units, reducing the percentage of unauthorized departures, and others,” said Mykhailo Fedorov at a meeting with journalists dedicated to the results of his work since his appointment on January 14, 2026.
Anti-Corruption Reforms and Drone Provisioning
An important component of the reforms is the implementation of an “anti-corruption track.” This summer, the military is expected to switch to using tender procedures for defense procurement. Among the achievements, the minister noted the conduct of the largest competitive procurement of 155 mm artillery shells, which allowed for savings of over 16%. The next step is to transition drone procurement to a tender system, which is expected to ensure a transparent, fast, and competitive procurement model without corruption risks. At the same time, reforms in research and development and state quality assurance of products are being launched.
In the ministry’s near-term plans is the establishment of a basic guaranteed minimum provision of drones for brigades. Thanks to this, each unit will be able to clearly understand what resources it will be guaranteed to receive the following month for planning combat operations.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced on May 1 the start of army reform in June, with initial results expected in the same month. He emphasized the need for a significant increase in military monetary support based on fairness. The amount of payments will depend on the performance of combat tasks at the front, real experience, and the effectiveness of each soldier.
The president also stressed the need for changes in approaches to staffing and personnel management. At his instruction, strengthening the contract system is planned, which will allow for the establishment of clear service terms and the phased release of those who were mobilized earlier, in accordance with established time criteria.