Cabinet resolution #1170 of October 15, 2024 

Status: in effect since October 16, 2024 

Decision-maker: Cabinet of Ministers 

Who is affected: persons subject to military service, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Ministry of Defense, Unmanned Systems Forces, and Territorial Centers for Recruitment and Social Support 

Summary: 

  • the Cabinet launched an experimental electronic recruitment project (hereinafter — the Experimental Project). Planned duration of the project — 2 years 
  • the Ministry of Digital Transformation is the coordinator of the Experimental Project 
  • persons subject to military service can apply to military units of their choice for UAV-related positions (from drone operator to engineer) via Diia if they volunteer to serve under contract 
  • the applicants are not required to prove their fitness for service, an examination by a military medical commission is not required 
  • the list of available military positions is compiled based on information provided by the Ministry of Defense 
  • during the application processing, information about the individual is obtained and verified via: 
    • the State Register of Individuals — Taxpayers — to confirm the validity of data regarding the taxpayer’s registration number 
    • the Unified State Demographic Register (via the unified information system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs): last name, first name, patronymic (if available), gender, and date of birth 
  • the applicant is responsible for the correctness of the information provided in the application 
  • if the information is incomplete or erroneous, the application will not be accepted 
  • a verified application is submitted by Diia to the recruitment platform of the Ministry of Defense 
  • a recruiter invites the volunteer for an interview, based on the results of the interview, the unit can sign the contract. 

What is right: the implementation of the experimental project will allow military units to be staffed with drone operators under a simplified procedure that does not involve recruitment centers. 

What is wrong: since there is no mandatory fitness verification by the military medical commission, there will be a risk that individuals will withhold information about their health problems to bypass this examination. Additionally, recruitment via Diia may lead to less thorough background check of candidates. 

Alternative solution: ensure oversight over the recruitment process to avoid potential abuses and issues in the future. 

Background information: on September 16, 2024, the President signed a law establishing a separate branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — the Unmanned Systems Forces.