Syrskyi’s Criticism of Military Contracts: What Changes After His Dismissal.

Defense Forces Overhaul with a New Bonus System

According to Слово і Діло — Інфографіка: Ukraine continues to face challenges in military funding. Former military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi sharply criticized the new contracts for service members, noting that

“only 2,000 people signed such contracts.”

The transformation of the Defense Forces, initiated by Mykhailo Fedorov, is ongoing. On June 12, 2026, the Ministry of Defense officially unveiled a military service reform. Under the new rules, effective from June 1, 2026, the maximum monthly pay for a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier is set at 460,000 hryvnias. However, despite these efforts, additional funding is still required. The financial needs for 2026 are as follows:

• 107.7 billion hryvnias for military bonuses,
• 186.8 billion hryvnias in 2027,
• 78.7 billion hryvnias in 2028.

On July 21, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the dismissal of Oleksandr Syrskyi from his post. This decision was part of broader changes in military leadership, which also included the removal of Mykhailo Fedorov as head of the Ministry of Defense. In mid-June, Fedorov reported that an audit of the Ministry of Defense had freed up 60 billion hryvnias, marking a key step in improving budget efficiency. The armed forces received an additional 129.449 billion hryvnias following amendments to the 2026 state budget, which helped ease the financial situation.

The shift to a new bonus system and leadership changes at the Ministry of Defense reflect the Ukrainian government’s efforts to improve military funding. The reform, which includes a significant pay raise for soldiers, could help attract more contract personnel and boost morale. However, stable funding remains essential for these changes to succeed—a challenge the state continues to face.