In September, the conditions for deferment from mobilization will change: how to apply

In Ukraine, during a state of martial law and general mobilization, some men subject to military service may be granted a deferment from conscription. However, having a legal basis alone is not sufficient—the deferment must be formally processed; otherwise, the citizen will continue to be considered subject to military service and eligible for conscription.

The main grounds for deferment are set forth in Article 23 of the Law of Ukraine “On Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization.”

In particular, the following categories of men subject to military service are entitled to a deferment:

• reserved employees of enterprises, institutions, and organizations that are eligible for such reservations;
• men released from Russian captivity;
• fathers of three or more children, provided the conditions stipulated by law are met;
• single parents in cases specified by law;
• parents of a child with a disability or certain serious illnesses;
• adoptive parents, guardians, and custodians of orphaned children in cases provided for by law;
• people with disabilities;
• persons subject to military service who provide constant care for those in need, provided the conditions established by law are met;
• citizens whose close relatives have died or gone missing while defending Ukraine;
• certain categories of students pursuing vocational or higher education, provided they meet the requirements of the law.

It is important to note that the conditions for obtaining a deferment depend on the specific grounds. For example, the law sets forth additional requirements for parents of large families or individuals who care for a relative.

Currently, in many cases, a deferment can be processed through the “Reserve+” app or at a Center for Administrative Services (CAS), depending on the grounds and the availability of the necessary data in state registries.

If the information needed to confirm eligibility for a deferral is available in electronic registries, the procedure can be completed remotely via “Reserve+.”

However, if the necessary documents are not available in electronic format or if a specific reason does not support online processing, a citizen may need to visit a CSP with supporting documents.

The list of documents depends on the grounds for the deferral. For example, to care for a person in need of such care, medical documents and confirmation that no other persons are available to provide such care may be required.

A deferral is not always indefinite. Its duration depends on the specific reason and applicable laws.

If the circumstances that entitled the individual to a deferment cease to exist, the deferment status may be revoked.

Therefore, those subject to military service should monitor the validity of their status and submit documents in a timely manner if their right to deferment requires confirmation or extension.

The right to a deferment may be revoked if the circumstances on which it was based no longer exist.

In particular, this may apply to the following situations:

• the cessation of the circumstances that entitled parents of multiple children to a deferment;
• completion of studies or a change in study conditions, if these were the basis for the deferment;
• the end of the need for constant care of a relative;
• a change in the status of a person with a disability;
• a change in circumstances related to the upbringing or support of a child;
• the expiration of the deferment period, unless it was extended in accordance with the established procedure.

Certain categories of deferrals may be automatically extended if the necessary information is confirmed by government registries. However, due to potential technical issues, those subject to military service should check their current status in “Reserve+.”

Having a deferment does not mean that a person subject to military service is exempt from all obligations related to military registration.

A man with a deferment may still receive summonses, particularly to verify his military registration data or to undergo other procedures required by law.

Therefore, such summonses should not be ignored. At the same time, having a valid deferment means that, on the relevant grounds, a citizen is not subject to conscription during mobilization.

As a reminder, mandatory mobilization of women is neither taking place nor planned in Ukraine. Ukrainian women may join the Defense Forces solely on a voluntary basis.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has officially refuted reports regarding the existence of any directives from the Commander-in-Chief or the command that would prohibit service members from speaking publicly or giving interviews to the media. The agency described previously published statements regarding such restrictions as untrue.

On the morning of August 3, 2026, users began reporting issues with the Reserve+ app that made it impossible to log in to the system. The outage was caused by technical malfunctions that prevented those subject to military service from completing the authorization process.