Ukraine’s Defense Ministry Plans to Overhaul Draft Offices, Rebranding Them as ‘Reserve+ Centers’

Overhaul of Territorial Recruitment Centers

According to ХВИЛЯ: Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense is preparing a major reform of its Territorial Centers for Recruitment and Social Support (known by the Ukrainian acronym TCC), aiming to transform them into new entities called ‘Reserve+ Offices.’ This was reported by Ukrainska Pravda, citing internal sources in parliament and military leadership. The reform seeks to split TCC functions between recruitment offices and support offices, but disagreements have emerged over whether police should be responsible for transporting conscripts.

The Defense Ministry team proposes dividing TCC duties into two categories:

• Recruitment offices, which will handle conscript registration, mobilization planning, recruiting, and service enrollment;
• Support offices, which will take over social services such as processing compensation for wounded soldiers, one-time payments to families of fallen troops, and organizing funerals.

Separate recruitment hubs are planned for volunteers and conscripts brought in by police, where document checks, military medical commissions, and assessments of mental resilience and professional suitability will take place.

Dispute Over Transporting Conscripts

The main point of contention revolves around who should be tasked with transporting men to TCCs. The Defense Ministry proposes that this duty fall exclusively on police officers, with no military involvement. However, the police oppose this plan. National Police Chief Ivan Vyhivskyi stated that

“police should not be alone in handling mobilization”

and emphasized that this “badly affects their image.” Iryna Friz, a member of the parliamentary committee on national security, defense, and intelligence, believes that “notification and transport to basic training centers should be handled by civilians.”

Under current law, police officers are authorized to detain and deliver conscripts to TCCs. But the issue remains unresolved, as no consensus has been reached between the parties.

“Right now everything has stalled-there is no consensus,”

said a source in the military leadership.

The TCC reform is the second phase of a broader military overhaul, the first phase of which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced for May 1, 2026. That phase will introduce clear service terms, a new system of ‘combat’ contracts, and higher military salaries. No deadlines have been set for launching the TCC reform, and representatives from the Defense Ministry, General Staff, and Presidential Office continue to negotiate concepts, which are expected to result in a separate bill.

This restructuring of Ukraine’s territorial recruitment and social support centers aims to improve the efficiency of mobilization efforts and the provision of social services to servicemen and their families. The importance of these changes highlights the need for clearer organization within military structures, especially under wartime conditions.

The ongoing dispute between the Ministry of Defense and the National Police over the latter’s role in transporting conscripts underscores the complexity of implementing the reform. How this issue is resolved could significantly affect the public image of both the police and the army, as well as societal attitudes toward mobilization processes in the country.

As the Ministry of Defense moves forward with its plans to reform recruitment strategies, it is essential to consider the broader implications of these changes. The proposed transition to 'Reserve+ Offices' aims not only to streamline processes but also to address ongoing challenges within the military recruitment framework. For further insights into this significant shift and its potential impacts on military structure, you can read more about the proposed replacement of recruitment centers.