Military commanders to be authorized to recruit volunteers

Source: Ukraine’s defense ministry

Ukraine’s military commander are now authorized to recruit volunteer soldiers bypassing recruitment office procedures, according to the law update green-lit by the government on Tuesday.

This new rule allows commanders to directly staff combat units with individuals who wish to serve during mobilization. The policy can streamline the recruitment process, enabling military units to fill their ranks more efficiently and giving volunteers the freedom to choose their preferred units.

The changes also grant new powers to Ukraine’s General Staff that can now designate specific military units whose commanders are authorized to recruit reservists and individuals liable for military service without formal reserve contracts. This adjustment comes in response to long-standing requests from military units for greater flexibility in recruiting volunteers.

Defense minister Rustem Umerov said that the new procedures will help improve the “quality of recruit selection”, allowing volunteers to serve in units that match their preferences and skills while brigades will have new tools for targeted recruitment, reducing the onboarding time for new soldiers.