Delays in Payments to Military Personnel: Why Money Is Not Reaching the Families of Defenders
In Ukraine, there are systemic delays in the financial support of military personnel, causing financial difficulties for their families. The delays in financial support for military personnel have begun to take on a systemic character, which has raised concerns among the relatives of defenders. The standard procedure involves payments twice a month: an advance from the 5th to the 15th, and allowances after the 25th, however, this system does not always work properly.
In 2025, the minimum wage in the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be UAH 20,100. In addition, military personnel can receive additional payments:
- Assignments outside combat zones involve an additional UAH 30,000;
- Commander bonuses will amount to UAH 50,000;
- Participation in battles ('at the front') is estimated at UAH 100,000 proportionally to the days;
- The bonus for being on the front line is UAH 70,000.
Despite such significant amounts, situations where military personnel under-receive allowances or receive them late have become common. As noted by Dmytro Korsun, such cases are already frequent.
Causes of Payment Delays
There are several reasons why money 'does not reach' the families of military personnel:
- Financial difficulties related to the enormous burden on the budget during wartime sometimes lead to delays in the transfer of funds;
- Administrative failures, including problems with accounting software or slow work of personnel departments during document inspections;
- The factor of war, particularly shelling in regions, can paralyze the work of financial bodies on site;
- The lack of automation in the payment calculation processes, where many operations are conducted manually, significantly increases the risk of errors in calculations.
In cases of delays, military personnel can use the debt recovery algorithm. The first step is to contact the commander, who should clarify the reason for the delay. If the commander is unable to help, it is necessary to contact the financial unit of the Ministry of Defense directly. The last resort is to appeal to the State Audit Office, which can conduct an audit and find out where the failure in the calculation process occurred. The calculation system, as noted by a lawyer from the 'Legal Network,' is very complex and consists of numerous bonuses and calculation methods, which adds difficulties in resolving the issue.
Delays in payments to military personnel pose a serious challenge for Ukrainian soldiers and their families, as financial stability is an important component of maintaining the morale of defenders. Under wartime conditions, when every day at the front can be the last, timely payments help soldiers focus on fulfilling their duties, rather than on financial problems. The situation with payment delays may require urgent reforms in the accounting system and automation of processes to avoid similar problems in the future.