Those Who Haven’t Served in the Army to Lose Eligibility for Public Office or Prosecutor Roles

No military service — no public office: proposed legislation

Men under the age of 60 who have not completed military service will no longer be eligible to join the civil service in Ukraine for the first time. In addition, military service will become a mandatory requirement to be appointed as a prosecutor in district or regional prosecutor's offices, the Prosecutor General’s Office, or the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.

These provisions are outlined in draft law No. 13347, which proposes amendments to the Law on National Resistance. The bill aims to eliminate the existing model of Basic General Military Training (BGMT) for university students and replace it with a new system. This change would effectively make military service a prerequisite for certain public office positions.

The only exception to this rule applies to individuals who are officially deemed unfit for military service due to health conditions.

Under the current legislation, citizens could previously bypass military service by completing BGMT. The following is an excerpt from the existing law:

Article 19. Right to public service
4. A male citizen under 60 years of age cannot enter public service for the first time without completing either Basic General Military Training or military service, except for individuals officially recognized as unfit for service due to health reasons.