Military law

The firm’s military practice covers the legal relationships that arise from mobilisation and military service: from registration and deferrals through to discharge, pay, and the protection of servicemen and their families.

A military lawyer in Kyiv helps with deferral from mobilisation, challenges to military medical board findings and to the actions of territorial recruitment centres, discharge from military service, payments to servicemen and defence in AWOL cases. We advise people liable for military service, servicemen, their families and employers – at our office or online.

Our services

• Challenging military medical board decisions – review of the board’s ruling and the medical records, appeal
• Deferral from mobilisation – grounds under Article 23 of Law No. 3543-XII, documents, challenging a refusal
• Disputes with the territorial recruitment centre – summonses, military registration, challenging decisions and actions
• Defence in AWOL and desertion cases – defence at every stage of the criminal proceedings
• Discharge from military service and demobilisation – grounds under Article 26 of Law No. 2232-XII, formal application, challenging a refusal
• Military pay and allowances – calculation, arrears, going to court
• Reservation of employees liable for military service – for companies, institutions and their staff
• Protection of servicemen’s rights – formal applications, complaints, going to court
• Military registration from abroad: consular matters – for those who are outside Ukraine

When you need a military lawyer

• you have received a summons to the territorial recruitment centre and want to understand your rights and obligations
• you have grounds for deferral, but it is not being granted or has been refused
• you disagree with the findings of the military medical board
• a serviceman has grounds for discharge, but the formal application is not being considered or has been refused
• military pay or other payments have not been made
• a serviceman faces criminal liability for absence without leave or desertion
• a company needs to reserve its employees

How we handle these matters

• we assess each situation against the legislation as currently in force – the mobilisation rules change often
• we work on paper: formal applications, requests, complaints, claims
• legal protection remains available under martial law: justice is administered by the courts alone, and curtailing or accelerating any form of judicial procedure is prohibited (Article 26 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law”)
• we act for servicemen, for their families and for employers
• the scope of work and the payment terms are agreed in writing before we start

How the work proceeds

1. First conversation: we establish who is seeking help (a person liable for military service, a serviceman, a family member, an employer), what the situation is and which deadlines are running.
2. Documents: we review summonses, military medical board rulings, formal applications, orders, certificates and register records.
3. Position and action: an application, a formal application, a complaint, a lawyer’s request or a claim – depending on the situation.
4. Support through to the outcome: consideration by the territorial recruitment centre or the military unit and, where needed, court.

Mobilisation legislation changes frequently. This page reflects the position as of October 2026; before acting on it, take advice on the wording currently in force.

Frequently asked questions

Who is entitled to deferral from mobilisation?

The grounds are set out in Article 23 of the Law of Ukraine No. 3543-XII “On Mobilisation Preparation and Mobilisation”. They include: reservation; a disability, or temporary unfitness for military service according to a military medical board finding; three or more dependent children under 18 (unless child maintenance arrears exceed the total of three months’ payments); raising a child with a disability; permanent care of sick family members or family members with a disability – on the conditions set by the law; full-time or dual-form study where the person is obtaining a higher level of education than they already have (parts 1 and 3 of Article 23). The grounds are verified and deferral is arranged by the territorial recruitment centre (part 8). Deferral may also be arranged through the Unified State Register of Conscripts, Persons Liable for Military Service and Reservists on the basis of data from other state registers (part 9).

What must a summons contain?

A summons to the territorial recruitment centre states: the surname, first name, patronymic and date of birth of the citizen; the name of the territorial recruitment centre that issued it; the purpose of the summons; the place, day and time of attendance; the signature (electronic digital signature) of the official who issued (generated) the summons; the registration number of the summons; an explanation of the consequences of failing to attend and of the duty to report the reasons for not attending. When serving a summons, representatives of the territorial recruitment centre must, at the citizen’s request, give their surnames, first names, patronymics and positions and show their service ID (part 3 of Article 22 of Law No. 3543-XII).

What if I cannot attend on time?

The law recognises as valid reasons for not attending, in particular, an obstacle caused by natural forces, the citizen’s illness, hostilities in the area concerned and their consequences, or other circumstances that made it impossible to attend in person, as well as the death of a close relative. These reasons must be confirmed by documents from the competent state or municipal bodies, institutions or organisations. If you do not attend, you must, as soon as possible and no later than three days after the date and time stated in the summons, inform the territorial recruitment centre of the reasons – in person or in any other way – and attend within a period not exceeding seven calendar days (part 3 of Article 22 of Law No. 3543-XII).

Can a serviceman be discharged under martial law?

Yes, but only on the grounds set out in the law. For those serving after being called up during mobilisation, the grounds under martial law include: reaching the age limit for military service; health – a military medical board finding of unfitness, or of temporary unfitness with re-examination in 6–12 months, and also a disability; family circumstances or other valid reasons from the list in part 12 of Article 26; release from captivity. On the grounds of disability, family circumstances and release from captivity, a serviceman is discharged if they have not expressed a wish to continue serving (item 2 of part 4 of Article 26 of the Law of Ukraine No. 2232-XII “On Military Duty and Military Service”). Family circumstances include supporting three or more children under 18, the need for permanent care of a wife (husband) with a Group I or II disability, and other cases named in the law. For contract servicemen, the grounds are set out in part 5 of Article 26.

What is the liability for absence without leave from a military unit?

Absence from a military unit or place of service without leave, or failure to report for duty on time without valid reasons, committed in a combat situation, as well as the same acts lasting more than three days under martial law, are punishable by imprisonment for five to ten years (part 5 of Article 407 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Absence without leave for the purpose of avoiding military service is desertion, liability for which is set out in Article 408 of the Criminal Code.

Need legal assistance in a military matter? Call us or leave a request – a lawyer will contact you and explain what to do next.