The Verkhovna Rada has passed a bill to extend the period for the voluntary return to service of servicemen who have deserted their units. This was reported by MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak, UNN reports.
"The Rada supported (the bill - ed.) No. 13177 - regulation of certain issues related to servicemen who have deserted their military unit. In fact, they extended the period of voluntary return until August 30, 2025," Zheleznyak wrote.
He said that 282 MPs voted for the bill as a basis and as a whole.
Zheleznyak spoke about the main provisions:
• during martial law, the military service of such persons is not suspended, and for those who left and did not return until the termination or cancellation of martial law, military service is suspended from the day following the termination or cancellation of martial law;
• their period of absence is not counted towards seniority, and during this period, payments, support and benefits are not provided (this provision was added by the Committee in the decision to the bill);
• the mechanism of voluntary return to service is extended until August 30, 2025. From the moment of continuation of military service, such servicemen are reinstated with benefits and social guarantees established by the legislation of Ukraine;
• servicemen who have returned can continue their service by decision of the commander, even if there is a pending criminal proceeding;
• a serviceman whose military service has been suspended or who has voluntarily left the service or deserted during martial law is not entitled to benefits, guarantees and compensation established by law. At this time, his family members are also not entitled to the benefits, guarantees and compensation that they enjoyed as family members of such a person.
MP Oleksiy Goncharenko said that a new functionality is also being introduced in the "Army+" application - it will be possible to submit a report on the return online.
"They also voted to send this bill to the President for signature immediately," Goncharenko added.
Addition
In March, the SBI reported that almost 21,100 servicemen returned to service during the period of the law on unauthorized abandonment.