Working group in Ukraine formed to address residency, ranks and compensation for foreign military personnel

The Defence Ministry has launched an interdepartmental working group that will develop changes to improve the service conditions of foreign volunteers, the Military Ombudsman’s Office reported. Among the tasks are simplifying legalisation and medical accompaniment in case of injury, as well as providing the opportunity to receive officer ranks and hold positions.

Photo credit: Military Ombudsman’s Office of Ukraine

The Defence Ministry will implement the changes in coordination with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Military Ombudsman’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Migration Service, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs. Each week, specialists will work in thematic subgroups with a varying composition depending on the issue being considered.

Among the priority issues that need to be resolved are:

• to make contract conditions understandable for foreigners;
• to simplify the process of obtaining temporary residence permits;
• to regulate the formalisation of personal directives;
• to ensure the accompaniment of the wounded at all stages of treatment;
• to provide foreign military personnel with the opportunity to receive officer ranks and hold corresponding positions;
• to remove obstacles so that families can receive a one-time payment in the event of the death or disappearance of foreign military personnel.
• Another area of work is to determine which units will have the right to recruit foreign volunteers. Currently, any military unit can do this, the head of the working group, Deputy Minister Liubov Halan, noted during the first meeting:

“But there is no control over whether it is capable of doing this qualitatively. The unit must ensure their effective combat employment, proper accompaniment and registration. Our goal is to create a white list of capable units and clear criteria for inclusion in it. We expect the first such list from the Armed Forces of Ukraine shortly.”

Specialists also discussed the need to create a unified information system for the registration of foreign volunteers and to conduct special background checks on candidates before they arrive in Ukraine.

The Military Ombudsman’s Office is joining the work on legislative changes to create standardised procedures for foreign volunteers at all stages of service.

As a reminder, about 16,000 foreign volunteers serve in the Ukrainian Defence Forces. Among the challenges they face are the need for translation into their native language, and the lack of regulation regarding the search for relatives and payouts in the event of their death.

In 2025, Military Ombudsman Olha Reshetylova received about 12,000 complaints. Since 27 January, when the Military Ombudsman’s Office began its work, almost another 5,500 have been received. The appeals include problems with command and the right to payouts.

ZMINA previously also reported that the Military Ombudsman’s Office launched a contact centre for military personnel’s appeals regarding violations of their rights during service. Calls are accepted by calling 1510.

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