The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has officially clarified the procedure for handling the monetary allowances of military personnel who have left their place of service without permission (AWOL). According to the ministry's position, as reported by RBC-Ukraine, the suspension of payments takes effect from the day of the actual departure: as soon as the commander issues an order confirming the AWOL status, the unit's financial and economic service stops all transfers to the defender's bank card. Thus, during the period in which a soldier holds AWOL status, no new payments are made.
What Happens to Money Already Earned
The key emphasis in the ministry's clarification is the absence of confiscation. Funds that a service member has honestly earned in the previous month are not annulled or seized by the state. These amounts are transferred to the status of the unit's creditor liability and remain on its balance. In effect, the money is "frozen" at the unit level: the state does not take it, but it also cannot be transferred to the personal account of a person in AWOL status until their position changes.
When and How the Accumulated Funds Are Returned
The resumption of payments and the receipt of accumulated sums occur only after the service member is re-enlisted into the unit's personnel roster. Previously unpaid monetary allowances are transferred in the nearest available settlement period — as a rule, within the framework of the scheduled salary payment, which is made by the 20th of the month. In other words, a soldier who returns to service receives both the current allowance and the previously "frozen" amounts in the nearest settlement cycle.
Simplified Mechanism for Returning to Service
It is worth recalling that Ukraine has a special algorithm in place that allows military personnel to return to service after leaving without permission, without excessive bureaucracy or additional checks. Under the established procedure, a soldier files a report and may independently choose the unit in which they will continue their military service. The ministry warned about the deadline for the simplified return: a report may be filed under the established algorithm until September 20, 2026, inclusive.
Contradictory Data
In publications referencing the Defense Ministry's clarifications, two different figures appear regarding the validity period of the simplified mechanism. One formulation states that there are "30 days left" to file a report (with a deadline of September 20, 2026), while another states that the simplified mechanism "will remain in effect for another 25 days." The three-day difference may be due to the fact that in one case the overall period for filing a report is counted, while in the other the remaining period of the simplified return mechanism itself is counted. The ministry does not disclose the exact tie-in to specific dates in the available materials, so both versions are presented as they are.
