---
title: "Four days before the deadline: how Ukrainian servicemembers can return from AWOL under the simplified program by September 20, 2026"
description: "Until September 20, 2026, servicemembers of the AFU, the State Border Guard Service, and the National Guard whose AWOL was recorded by June 12 can return to service under the simplified program, independently choosing their unit and direction of service."
date: 2026-09-15T22:46:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/return-from-awol-simplified-program-by-september-20-2026
tags: [ukraine-war, vsu, szch, military-service, army-plus-app, criminal-liability]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Four days before the deadline: how Ukrainian servicemembers can return from AWOL under the simplified program by September 20, 2026

![Ukrainian soldier with rifle in camouflage in a forest: discussion of return from SZZ under simplified program](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/16/vozvraschenie-iz-szch-uproshchennaya-programma-do-20-sentyabrya-2026/vozvraschenie-iz-szch-uproshchennaya-programma-do-20-sentyabrya-2026-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- The deadline for submitting a report to return from AWOL under the simplified program is September 20, 2026, inclusive
- The program applies to the AFU, the State Border Guard Service, and the National Guard when AWOL is recorded by June 12, 2026
- Returning to service does not automatically terminate the criminal case — the decision on exemption from liability is made by the court
- AWOL status can be checked in the "Armiya+" app via a red banner on the military document
- Simplified transfers via "Armiya+" without the commander's consent have been launched in the AFU within the limits of two army corps

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has clarified the terms and deadlines for the simplified program allowing servicemembers who left their unit without authorization (AWOL) to return to service. According to the department's clarification, provided to RBC-Ukraine, the report requesting a return must be submitted no later than September 20, 2026, inclusive. Until that date, servicemembers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, and the National Guard whose AWOL status was recorded on or before June 12, 2026, inclusive, may use the simplified mechanism and resume service without going through the Military Law Enforcement Service (MLES) or a reserve battalion. The key advantage of the program is the right to independently choose the unit and the direction of further service.

### Who qualifies for the simplified procedure and what benefits it offers

The program is aimed at three categories of servicemembers: personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, and the National Guard. The mandatory condition is that the date of the recorded unauthorized departure from the unit must fall on or before June 12, 2026, inclusive. Those who submit their report by September 20 can choose a specific unit and direction of service at their own discretion, bypassing the standard assignment procedures through the MLES or the reserve. This significantly shortens the bureaucratic path and allows a soldier to return to a combat or service unit more quickly.

### Returning to service does not automatically terminate the criminal case

The Ministry of Defense specifically emphasized: the mere fact of returning to service does not mean the automatic closure of a criminal case or the termination of the procedural investigation. The question of exemption from criminal liability is resolved separately and in the manner established by law. A servicemember who committed AWOL for the first time has the right to voluntarily petition the investigator, prosecutor, or court with an intention to return to service. In addition, written consent from the unit commander to extend service is required. The final decision on exemption from criminal liability is made exclusively by the court. Thus, the simplified program streamlines the administrative part of the return but does not automatically remove the legal consequences.

### How to check your AWOL status in the "Armiya+" app

To check whether an absence from service has been recorded, a servicemember only needs to open the "Armiya+" app. If AWOL is registered, a red banner with the text "Absence from service recorded" will appear on the screen with the military document. If the status is not displayed, the department recommends updating the app, logging out and re-logging in, or waiting 15 minutes. If the problem persists, contact the nearest zonal office of the Military Law Enforcement Service for manual verification of the data.

### Additional mechanism: simplified transfers via "Armiya+"

In parallel with the AWOL return program, the first simplified transfers via the "Armiya+" app have been launched in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The new mechanism allows soldiers to change units without the commander's approval within the limits of two army corps. This complements the simplified return program and gives servicemembers additional flexibility in choosing their place of service, without going beyond the two corps formations.

### Contradictory data

No significant discrepancies in the key dates and conditions of the program were found in the provided sources. RBC-Ukraine and Gazeta.ua unanimously point to the September 20, 2026 deadline and the threshold date for recording AWOL — June 12, 2026. At the same time, the source fraza.com raises a related but different question: whether the concept of AWOL applies to persons who have not yet taken the military oath. This aspect is not addressed in the Ministry of Defense's clarification on the simplified program and requires separate legal qualification, although it does not contradict the main conditions of the return procedure.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [You can return from AWOL under the simplified program until September 20: what it offers](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/20-veresnya-mozhna-povernutis-iz-szch-sproshchenoyu-1789509545.html) - Основной источник: дедлайн 20.09.2026, порог фиксации СЗЧ до 12.06.2026, категории (ВСУ, ГOST, Нацгвардия), отсутствие автоматического закрытия уголовного производства, проверка через «Армию+», упрощенные переводы в пределах двух корпусов.
- [The simplified AWOL return program will be extended until September 20](https://gazeta.ua/ru/articles/life/_programma-vozvrascheniya-iz-szc-po-uproschennomu-mehanizmu-prodlitsya-do-20-sentyabrya/1254913) - Подтверждает дедлайн 20 сентября и существование упрощенного механизма. Данные согласуются с РБК-Украина.
- [The Ministry of Defense explained whether AWOL applies to those who have not yet taken the oath](https://fraza.com/news/378539-v-minoborony-rasskazali-grozit-li-szch-tem-kto-esche-ne-prinjal-prisjagu) - Смежный вопрос о применимости СЗЧ до принятия присяги. Не противоречит основной теме, но не раскрыт в разъяснении по упрощенной программе.
- [AWOL in 2025: what happens if a servicemember left the unit without authorization](https://news.liga.net/society/news/szch-v-2025-godu-chto-budet-esli-voennosluzhashtii-samovolno-pokinul-voinskuyu-chast) - Общий контекст по правовым последствиям СЗЧ. Использован для фоновой информации, не содержит противоречий.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Until what date can a report to return from AWOL be submitted under the simplified program?
**A:** The report must be submitted no later than September 20, 2026, inclusive. After this date, the simplified program ceases to apply.

### Q: Who can use the simplified return program?
**A:** Servicemembers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, and the National Guard whose unauthorized departure from the unit was recorded on or before June 12, 2026, inclusive.

### Q: Is the criminal case automatically terminated after returning to service?
**A:** No. Returning to service does not mean the automatic closure of a criminal case. The servicemember must petition the investigator, prosecutor, or court, obtain written consent from the unit commander, and the final decision on exemption from criminal liability is made by the court.

### Q: How can I check whether an absence from service has been recorded?
**A:** In the "Armiya+" app, a red banner with the text "Absence from service recorded" appears on the screen with the military document if AWOL is present. If the status is not displayed, you need to update the app, re-authorize, or wait 15 minutes. If the problem persists — contact the zonal office of the MLES.

### Q: What are simplified transfers via "Armiya+"?
**A:** This is a new mechanism that allows servicemembers to change units without the commander's consent within the limits of two army corps. It was launched in parallel with the AWOL return program.