Ukrainian military personnel can retire after 25 years of service, and participation in combat actions significantly accelerates this path. For those who fight, each month on the front line is counted as three. This procedure is defined by the Law on Pension Provision for Persons Discharged from Military Service. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reports on this.
The Ministry of Defense explains: the increased coefficient only applies if the military actually performed defense tasks in the specified period, was in combat zones during martial law, and had documentary confirmation.
When a month counts as three for a military pension
Participation is counted by the formula 1 month of service = 3 months of experience if the military:
- is directly in the combat zone;
- performs defense and population protection tasks;
- acts in martial law conditions;
- has official confirmation from the command.
These documents will be the basis for calculating service and determining the future pension amount. Without them, the military risks losing part of their experience. Therefore, the command was reminded of the obligation to ensure the maintenance of personal files taking into account combat references.
Why this is important
Military pension payments depend not only on total service time but also on confirmed periods of participation in combat actions. It is these periods that significantly accelerate the right to pension and impact its amount. The state emphasizes that the mechanism of 'one month for three' is intended to compensate for the additional risks and burdens that defenders carry on the front line.
Previously, we reported that the size of military pension depends on the length of service, agency, and discharge period. The minimum pension established by the government is 3854 UAH, but most pensioners currently receive 8-9 thousand hryvnias.