Monetary support and material assistance to the military from March 1, 2026: clarification from specialists of the Ministry of Defense
Financial support and material assistance for military personnel are of fundamental importance for our defenders, as they determine the level of financial support during combat missions, treatment after injuries and resolving family circumstances that arise during martial law. The size of salaries, the system of additional payments and the procedure for providing one-time assistance directly affect the conditions of service and social guarantees of military personnel, therefore the issue of their accrual and preservation in 2026 is the subject of separate clarifications by the Ministry of Defense.
Financial support for military personnel
For 2026, financing of the security and defense sector is planned at the level of 2 trillion 806 billion UAH, which corresponds to 27.2% of the gross domestic product. Of this amount, UAH 2 trillion 495 billion should be allocated from the general fund of the state budget, UAH 281 billion from a special fund, and another UAH 30 billion is pledged as state guarantees.
Of the envisaged resource, UAH 1 trillion 273 billion is allocated to paying cash benefits to military personnel, while UAH 709 billion is planned for the purchase of weapons and military equipment. The issues of increasing the cash benefits of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and establishing clear terms of service are regularly raised in the public space, but the practical implementation of these initiatives remains open.
The cash benefits of military personnel from March 1, 2026 will remain at the previous level, since the state budget for this year does not provide for an increase in basic salaries. Such explanations were provided by specialists of the Ministry of Defense, emphasizing that the current payment system is preserved in full, including all established additional payments, which depend on the nature of the service and the conditions for performing combat missions.
The payment system is determined by the Law “On Social and Legal Protection of Military Personnel and Members of Their Families” and the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 168, which fixes the procedure for calculating both basic salaries and additional payments. Monetary support consists of a job salary, salary by military rank and seniority allowance, as well as additional payments for performing combat missions provided for by law.
The job salary is the basic part of the payments and depends on the position held by the serviceman, since the level of responsibility and the scope of duties directly affect the size of this component. The salary for military rank is determined in accordance with the assigned rank and is paid regardless of the position held, which forms a separate system of income differentiation. The seniority bonus is calculated as a percentage of the sum of the official salary and salary for the rank, and its size gradually increases depending on the length of service – from 5% for the first year to 50% for those with 25 years of service or more.
Additional monthly payments
A separate part of the cash benefit is additional payments, the amount of which depends on the nature of the tasks performed and the place of service. For servicemen who perform combat or special tasks during the period of ensuring the defense of Ukraine and protecting the security of the population in connection with the military aggression of the Russian Federation, a monthly supplement of 30 thousand hryvnias is provided. As reported by the Ministry of Defense, servicemen who carry out combat missions as part of military command bodies, headquarters and commands that provide operational control of units receive an additional 50 thousand hryvnias.
The highest level of additional payments — 100 thousand hryvnias per month — is established for servicemen who are in a zone of active combat operations or undergoing treatment or rehabilitation after a concussion, injury or mutilation, as well as for those who have been captured. In addition, an additional payment of 70 thousand hryvnias is provided for military personnel who perform tasks directly on the front line during the month.
Specialists of the Ministry of Defense separately draw attention to the fact that the amount of financial support does not depend on whether the serviceman is a contract worker or mobilized, since the key factors remain the position, rank and length of service.
Material assistance in 2026
As reported by the Ministry of Defense. In addition to the monthly financial provision, in 2026, servicemen can receive material assistance to solve social and household issues in the amount of monthly cash support. Such a payment is provided under certain circumstances, as
The Ministry of Defense explains that material assistance to solve social and household issues is not an automatic payment, since its provision depends on the presence of certain grounds and the amount of the cash support fund. The department’s specialists draw attention to the fact that in 2026 the payment procedure was regulated by the order of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine dated January 4, 2026 No. 38/ud, and it is this document that determines the list of circumstances under which a serviceman can exercise his right to assistance.
According to representatives of the defense department, the amount of material assistance corresponds to the monthly financial support of the serviceman, however, only certain components are taken into account during the calculation. These are the official salary, salary by military rank, seniority bonus and monthly additional types of financial support, with the exception of the remuneration to which the serviceman is entitled on the day the order for assistance is signed. The ministry specifies that the date of signing the order is key to determining the list of payments that are included in the calculation.
Commenting on the grounds for receiving assistance, specialists from the Ministry of Defense emphasize that it can be provided once a year and only in the presence of circumstances clearly stipulated by the minister’s order. Such grounds include the establishment of disability as a result of injury, contusion, trauma or mutilation related to the defense of the Motherland, as well as situations related to the serviceman’s captivity, hostage status, internment or disappearance.
The Ministry of Defense separately explains that the right to assistance may also arise in connection with events that occurred in 2026 or in December 2025, if the serviceman has not previously exercised this right. Such events include the death of a serviceman or his family members, the birth or adoption of a child, as well as the deterioration of the health of the serviceman himself or his relatives, which requires confirmation by appropriate medical documents.
Representatives of the department emphasize that the list of medical grounds is exhaustive and includes, in particular, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis B or C, long-term treatment or rehabilitation for more than 30 consecutive days due to an injury or illness that is related to the defense of the Motherland and requires complex treatment or prosthetics. The list also includes the treatment of cancer in a serviceman or his family members, if it requires surgery, radiation or chemotherapy, regardless of the year of diagnosis.
Explaining the procedure for receiving the payment, specialists from the Ministry of Defense note that the serviceman must submit a report to the commander or chief, indicating the reasons and attach documents confirming the relevant circumstances. The decision is made on the basis of the commander’s order and is implemented within the available financial support fund provided for in the budget of the military unit.
The ministry also draws attention to cases where a serviceman worked in a budget institution before being drafted or accepted into service. In such situations, material assistance may be provided provided that a similar payment was not made at the previous place of work in the relevant year, as well as if there are grounds determined by the Minister’s order.
Thus, from March 1, 2026, the system of financial support for military personnel remains unchanged, maintaining the current structure of salaries and allowances, while the mechanisms of material support continue to operate in accordance with the conditions established by law.
