Ukraine allows men aged 60+ to serve under contract during martial law

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a decree allowing men over the age of 60 to enter into one-year contracts for service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the option to extend the agreement for an additional year during the period of martial law.

The decree establishes the procedure for recruiting Ukrainians older than 60 and clarifies a number of processes related to their training, appointment, transfer, and dismissal from service, as per the presidential website.

Under the new rules, men above 60 may serve on a contractual basis if they obtain written consent from the commander of a military unit and are declared fit for military service by a military medical commission. In cases where the contract is for an officer position, the unit commander may provide written approval only after the candidate has been endorsed by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Should martial law be lifted, contracts signed by men over 60 will be terminated ahead of schedule, and those service members will be discharged.

Ukraine introduced martial law and general mobilisation on February 24, 2022, and both measures have been extended multiple times since. According to national legislation, men between the ages of 25 and 60 are considered liable for military service and may be mobilised unless they qualify for a deferment.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the legislation permitting Ukrainians over 60 to serve under contract in July 2025, and Zelenskyy signed it later that same month. The law предусматривает a two-month probationary period for contracts concluded with men over 60; failure to pass this probation results in termination of the contract.

By Tamilla Hasanova