Ukraine Raises Military Pay and Expands Foreign Recruitment to Address Manpower Shortage

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a landmark package of military reforms on June 12 following meetings with Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, and Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko. The centerpiece is a dramatic pay increase for frontline infantry soldiers, who will now receive Hr 300,000 (approximately $6,700) per month for time spent on the front line — up from a maximum of around Hr 100,000–150,000 — which Fedorov described as the highest infantry salary rate in the world. Non-combat base pay will also rise from Hr 20,000 to Hr 30,000, matching Ukraine's average monthly salary. Fixed-term contracts of 6–14 months will be introduced for infantry and assault personnel, with a six-month exemption from mobilization upon completion, addressing a long-standing demand from soldiers who currently serve with no defined endpoint. In a significant strategic shift, Defense Minister Fedorov announced that Ukraine aims to have foreign nationals fill between 30% and 50% of assault and infantry positions, with new recruitment channels to be opened internationally; approximately 10,000 foreign volunteers from over 70 countries have already joined since the war began. The reforms also include streamlined unit transfers via the Armiia+ app and a fast-track process for soldiers returning from AWOL into effective combat units. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi described the package as the first stage of a large-scale military transformation, with further changes to recruitment and mobilization to follow.