President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday his intention to launch a reform of the army, which would include the possibility of mobilization and an increase in salaries. The reform aims to strengthen the contractual system in the defense forces to ensure clear terms of service and enable phased mobilization for those previously mobilized. The current legislation only allows mobilization once martial law is lifted, which has been in effect since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.
The President also proposed a significant increase in salaries, with a minimum level of at least 30,000 hryvnias (around 580 euros) for non-combat positions and higher payments ranging from 250,000 to 400,000 hryvnias (4,850 to 7,770 euros) for combat roles like infantry. Currently, soldiers on the front receive an additional payment of 170,000 hryvnias (3,300 euros) per month.
The details of the reform are expected to be finalized in May, with initial results targeted for June. After over four years of war that has resulted in tens or even hundreds of thousands of casualties, the Ukrainian forces are seeking new recruitment avenues as most new recruits are currently mobilized, a highly sensitive issue in the country due to widespread perception of the system as unjust, corrupt, and ineffective.
[Context: The reform aims to improve the readiness and capabilities of the Ukrainian army amidst ongoing conflict.]
[Fact Check: The article mentions the current Russian invasion that began in February 2022, which is verified by multiple news sources.]
