In the Ground Forces, it was announced that 30 days remain until the expiration of the period for voluntary absence from a military unit (SZO). By September 20, servicemen can choose a unit and service direction to rejoin the army without additional bureaucratic procedures.
The Ground Forces reported this on Telegram.
Roman Zagorodniy, head of the “Army+” project of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, stated that thousands of military personnel have already utilized the opportunity to return from SZO. Roman Zagorodniy conveyed this during an broadcast on “Suspilne Studio.”
“Servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and the State Special Transport Service can take advantage of this program. It exclusively applies to those who were in SZO before June 12 of this year. And this program is valid until September 20 of the current year. We already have thousands of individuals who have returned and are currently serving,” said Roman Zagorodniy.
He also mentioned that military personnel who decide to use the program can select the unit to which they will return.
“This is one of the best units we have reviewed based on data.” This includes over 50 units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is for servicemen who are in SZO within the AFU. It also includes two military units of the State Special Transport Service, or DSST for short, and 18 units of the National Guard,” emphasized Zagorodniy.
He further explained that the resolution on returning from SZO does not directly regulate criminal liability, as this is determined by law. However, the document significantly simplifies the procedure for servicemen to return, which is a key step towards the dismissal of criminal proceedings.
According to Zagorodniy, those who have previously been in the status of SZO have a provision that allows for a faster process of removing their criminal status.
On June 12, it was announced that servicemen who had voluntarily left their units could, by September 20, 2026, voluntarily return to service in a unit of their own choosing. This opportunity is provided to those who had SZO recorded up to June 11, 2026.
A report can be submitted in three ways: through “Army+” (for the AFU, DSST, and NGU), directly at the military unit (for the AFU and DSST), or through the 1st or 2nd recruitment centers (only for the AFU). Only one report can be submitted at a time.
Source: suspilne.media