YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REST:
HOLIDAYS AND ROTATIONS IN AFU
Mobilization service is a regulated military process with clear legal guarantees of rest. Every soldier of the 3rd Mechanized Battalion 160th Mechanized Brigade is legally entitled to recuperation, family travel, full stipend, and recuperation benefits.
Three concrete facts about vacation
The most important thing for a soldier is not a bureaucratic list of papers, but a clear understanding: how many days of rest are guaranteed, how it is paid for, and what happens to travel time.
30 days every year is an obligation, not a grace
Law No. 3633-IX expressly stipulates: the provision of the main part of the annual leave of at least 15 calendar days is mandatory for command. It may not be provided solely at the written request of the fighter himself.
Mandatory part: ≥ 15 days100% retention of payments + "health"
During the leave, the military serviceman receives full monthly allowance (salary, rank, seniority allowance). In addition, a separate payment is made once a year monetary assistance for rehabilitation in the amount of a monthly allowance.
+1 additional monthly salary per yearThe road does not steal a vacation
The time required to travel to the place of vacation and back (up to 2 days one way, i.e. up to +4 days in total), is not included during vacation. If the vacation lasts from 10 days, the cost of railway or bus tickets will be compensated by the state.
Up to +4 additional days for travelAnnual schedule of service, rotations and rest
How the time of a mobilized fighter is distributed during 12 months: duty, planned recovery of the unit, two parts of the main leave and additional days Combat Veteran Status.
The colored bars show the planned alternation of combat missions, mandatory recovery periods and guaranteed vacations, taking into account travel time.
In total, the law provides the fighter with 58 days of guaranteed rest per year with retention of payments.
- Annual main 30 days
- Optional for Combat Veteran Status 14 days
- Family circumstances 10 days
- Travel time up to 4 days
Who and how rests: distribution by categories
Conditions of service differ between rear support units and combat line companies. Look at the specific options for each category.
Rear and support
Headquarters • Logistics • Rembat • Communication- ✔ 30 calendar days of the main holiday (division 15 + 15 or 15 + 10 + 5).
- ✔ A clear regulated schedule alternations and departures without unpredictable disruptions.
- ✔ Up to 10 days due to family circumstances (wedding, birth of a child, illness of relatives) with retention of salary.
- ✔ Fare payment in both directions in Ukraine with a vacation duration of 10 days or more.
Combat companies / Front line / Combat Veteran Status
Infantry • UAV • Arta • Intelligence- ✔ 30 days of basic + 14 days Combat Veteran Status = 44 guaranteed vacation days each year.
- ✔ Mandatory rotations from "scratch" to safe rear areas for psychological and medical recovery.
- ✔ Up to +15 additional days leave for a year for destroyed or captured enemy equipment (Law No. 3633-IX).
- ✔ Saving money and 100% payment of annual "health benefits".
Wounded servicemen: protection, terms and benefits
The state and the command provide a continuous chain of medical care. Leave for the treatment of an injury, contusion or injury is granted at the discretion of Military Medical Commission (MMC) and is not deducted from basic leave.
Additional remuneration (CMU Resolution No. 168): is paid in full for the entire time of inpatient treatment or in leave for treatment after a serious injury.
How is road time calculated (Road Time)
The law ensures that the time spent on the train or car does not reduce your rest days at home. See how the entry in the leave ticket is formed.
Up to 2 days one way
Travel time is determined by the distance from the location of the unit to your destination and the transport schedule (usually 1 day for nearby areas and 2 days for remote areas).
A separate column in the Leave Ticket
The commander records the travel time separately: for example, "Vacation 15 days, travel time 4 days. Arrive at the unit no later than [date]."
24 hour rule (TRC or VSP)
After arriving home, a serviceman must register with the local district Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) (or Military Law Enforcement Service — VSP) within 24 hours and stamp his arrival.
Vacation geography: in Ukraine and abroad
A military serviceman has the right to spend his vacation in any safe corner of Ukraine, as well as to go abroad to his family.
Rest in Ukraine
Complete freedom of choice of location: hometown or village, health resort, Carpathians or rented accommodation together with loved ones.
- Military ticket and official Vacation ticket.
- Note in TRC/VSP about arrival (within 24 hours) and departure.
- Ticket compensation: save train tickets for accounting part.
Going abroad (to family)
During martial law, a soldier can go abroad to meet his wife or children who are being evacuated. This is a legal and effective mechanism.
- Report in advance (in 2-3 weeks): indicating the country, address of stay and checkpoint.
- Supporting documents: certificate of marriage/birth of children, certificates of temporary protection of relatives abroad.
- For DPSU at the border: biometric foreign passport, military ID, extract from the unit commander's order granting leave with permission to travel outside Ukraine.
A detailed directory of all types of vacations
Expand the relevant item to view comprehensive legal regulations, deadlines and reporting rules.
up to 10 days
Leave due to family circumstances (wedding, death or serious illness of relatives)
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Leave due to family circumstances (wedding, death or serious illness of relatives)
Provided with preservation of monetary security lasting up to 10 calendar days (+ travel time up to 2 days one way). This leave does not reduce the days of the basic annual leave.
Cases of provision:
- Marriage by a military serviceman (up to 10 days).
- Serious health condition or death of wife (husband), parents, children, siblings (up to 7 days + travel).
- Death of other close relatives (up to 3 days + travel).
- Fire or other natural disaster that befell the soldier's family (up to 15 days).
up to 14 days
One-time maternity leave
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One-time maternity leave
In accordance with Article 19-1 of the Law of Ukraine "On Leave" and Clause 17 of Article 10-1 of Law No. 2011-XII, a male serviceman is granted a one-time paid leave for the duration of up to 14 calendar days in connection with the birth of a child.
The basis is a military serviceman's report and a copy of a medical birth certificate or a child's birth certificate.
up to 15 days
Additional leave for destroyed or captured enemy equipment
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Additional leave for destroyed or captured enemy equipment
New provision of Law No. 3633-IX: servicemen are granted additional leave for the total duration of destroyed enemy equipment up to 15 calendar days per year with preservation of financial support.
The number of days is calculated according to the scale: airplane or helicopter — up to 4 days; tank, complex Air Defense, anti-aircraft guns — up to 3 days; BBM, ACS, operational-tactical drone — 1–2 days. Leave may be granted to a specific fighter or shared among crew/county members.
90 days
Leave for servicemen after release from captivity
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Leave for servicemen after release from captivity
According to Clause 23 of Article 10-1 of Law No. 2011-XII, after returning from enemy captivity, servicemen are granted additional leave for the duration of 90 calendar days without division into parts.
Cash security is kept in full. Withdrawal of a serviceman from this leave is allowed only with his voluntary consent.
Protection
What to do if you get sick while on vacation?
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What to do if you get sick while on vacation?
According to Clause 5 of Article 10-1 of Law No. 2011-XII, if a serviceman fell ill during the annual basic or additional leave and was in hospital treatment, the specified the vacation is automatically extended after recovery for the number of unused sick days.
Action algorithm: immediately inform the commander of the unit and the nearest Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) on duty, take a hospital extract (certificate from a medical institution), verify it in TRC and submit it to the unit after returning.
Payments
What happens to unused days? (Compensation upon dismissal)
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What happens to unused days? (Compensation upon dismissal)
Vacation days do not "burn"! All unused days of annual basic and additional leave during military service (in particular, 14 days Combat Veteran Status for each year of service) are subject to 100% monetary compensation, which is paid in the year of the serviceman's release from service.
In case of death (death) of a soldier, this monetary compensation is paid in full to his family members or heirs.
Official primary sources of legislation
Each provision on this page is based on current laws and government regulations of Ukraine. Check the norms directly in the database of the Verkhovna Rada.
Article 10-1: The right to vacations and the procedure for granting them
The basic law on vacations during martial law: 30 days of basic leave, limit 30%, travel up to 2 days, mandatory 15 days continuously, treatment up to 12 months.
Article 12: Benefits for participants in hostilities (Combat Veteran Status)
Clause 12 of Article 12 enshrines the right to annual additional paid leave of 14 calendar days for combatants.
Military service and leave updates
Established the obligation to provide 15 days of continuous leave, introduced additional leave for equipment, 90 days after captivity and remote Military Medical Commission (MMC) abroad.
Payments of 100,000 ₴ in case of injury and treatment
Guarantees the payment of additional remuneration of up to UAH 100,000 to military personnel during hospitalization and on leave for treatment after a serious injury.
Regulations on military medical examination (Military Medical Commission (MMC))
Regulates the procedure for passing Military Medical Commission (MMC) after injuries, granting leaves for rehabilitation, extension periods and eligibility criteria.
Law "On Holidays"
Regulates additional social leave (for the birth of a child, child care, sessional study leave for young people aged 18–25).