160th Mechanized Brigade · no promises
The 18–24 contract, plainly
Term, payment and risks, as set by government resolution. Recruitment depends on open positions.
Who it is for
Who this contract is for, and who it is not for
This contract is for you if you join voluntarily and are ready for combat tasks. The resolution covers people between 18 and 25 (the programme is called “18–24”). A recruiter will check your date of birth.
It is not for you if you want a non-combat position: under this contract you serve in combat positions. Other programmes exist for other positions. Tell the recruiter what you are looking for.
Places depend on open positions. A recruiter confirms whether there are any now.
Terms under the resolution
A contract of 1 year or 2 years
This is what Cabinet of Ministers resolution No. 153 of 11 February 2025 says. Risks are covered below, in “Money and risk”. The figures were checked against the text of the resolution; the date is at the bottom of the page.
1 year
enlisted positions other than unmanned systems
2 years
unmanned systems operators
up to 1,000,000 UAH
one-time payment in three parts, for combat service; depends on meeting the conditions
12 months
after discharge you are not called up in mobilisation, on defined grounds only; for the drone contract, ask the recruiter
How it works
- Step 1
Contact a recruiter
Leave your contact. A recruiter will call you, say whether positions are open and answer your questions.
- Step 2
Military medical commission
We explain how to pass the military medical commission and which documents you need. The commission decides fitness, not the recruiter.
- Step 3
Application and signing
When you have decided, an official application is filed. The resolution says: An application for an 18–24 contract is reviewed within three working days. You sign only after you decide; ask the recruiter about anything unclear before you sign.
- Step 4
Training
Basic general military training (BGMT): from 45 days for enlisted positions, up to 45 days for unmanned systems operators. Then comes training for your position.
Money and risk
The payment is not “just for signing”
The one-time payment has three parts: the first is 200,000 UAH, the second is 300,000 UAH, the third is 500,000 UAH.
The third, largest part depends on combat service. Enlisted positions other than unmanned systems need a period in combat of at least 6 months. Unmanned systems operators need at least 12 months.
The third part of the one-time 18–24 payment is 500,000 hryvnias, paid on the day you are removed from the unit rolls. If the required combat participation was not completed, only part is paid: one sixth for each 30 days of actual combat (one twelfth for unmanned systems operators).
If, under an 18–24 contract, you could not complete six months in combat because of a wound, illness or injury received while defending the country, the unpaid part of the one-time payment is paid in full. For the unmanned systems operators’ contract, ask the recruiter about this condition.
Monthly pay is separate. It depends on the position and on combat participation, and a recruiter will give you the current amounts.
This money is for service that carries a risk to life and health. The payment does not remove that risk, and we do not try to talk you into it: the decision is yours. Ask the recruiter any question before you sign.
Positions
Positions marked for 18–24
These are positions from the brigade’s ads that mention the 18–24 programme. The contract term and duties are in each vacancy. A recruiter confirms whether places are free now.
Questions
What people usually ask about 18–24
Should I join for the money?
It is your decision: money is not the only reason, and it does not remove the risk. The payment depends on conditions, and the conditions mean combat service. Read the “Money and risk” section and ask a recruiter about anything unclear. A conversation commits you to nothing.
How long is the service?
Under the contract it is 1 year for enlisted positions other than unmanned systems, or 2 years for unmanned systems operators.
What happens after the contract?
After an 18–24 contract ends, you are not called up during mobilisation for twelve months from the discharge date (for the discharge grounds the resolution lists). After that period the general rules apply. Whether the rule covers your case and your type of contract is a question for the recruiter; we do not give legal advice.
How long is the training?
Basic general military training: from 45 days for enlisted positions, up to 45 days for unmanned systems operators. Then comes training for your position.
Can I choose my position?
A recruiter matches a position to your health, experience and open vacancies. The final assignment depends on the medical commission’s decision and on the unit’s needs, so you cannot choose freely.
Is 18–24 recruitment open right now?
It depends on open positions in the brigade, and these change, so this page does not promise places in advance. Leave your contact. A recruiter will tell you whether there are places now. If there are none, the recruiter will tell you about other programmes.
How do I know this is really the brigade?
See the “Check that it is really us” page for official channels and signs of a scam. We never ask for money to join.
Safety
Watch out for fakes
Next step
A conversation with a recruiter commits you to nothing
Leave your name and phone number. A recruiter will tell you whether positions under the 18–24 programme are open now and answer your questions. You can say no until you sign the contract.