On February 1, 2025, amendments to the Law "On Social and Legal Protection of Servicemen and their Families", which define new rules for the distribution of payments to relatives of the soldiers who have been captured or are considered missing, come into force. The law, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on October 8, 2024, greatly extends the range of persons who will be able to receive these payments.
According to lawyer Roman Likhachev, now, in the event of captivity or disappearance of a serviceman, payments will be distributed between his closest relatives, including his wife, children and parents. Previously, only one person - the wife (husband) of the serviceman received all the money, now the amount will be divided between several family members.
According to the new rules, 50% of payments should be evenly divided between representatives of the first stage of relatives. This group includes: wife (husband), legal representatives of minor children, children with disabilities from childhood and their legal representatives, as well as parents of servicemen (except those who are deprived of parental rights). In the absence of representatives of the first stage, 20% of payments will receive relatives of the second stage - adult children, brothers or sisters.
The balance of funds (50% or 80% of payments) will be stored in the military unit and transferred to the military if it returns from captivity or will appear after recognition of it missing. According to Roman Likhachev, the total amount of payments for one serviceman in this case can be up to 120 thousand hryvnias a month. Previously, only the wife or husband of the military received this money, but now they can be divided by other relatives. According to an example of a lawyer, if the serviceman has a wife, two children and parents, the total amount of 60 thousand hryvnias will be divided between five people, and each of them will receive UAH 12 thousand.
It should also be noted that the military itself can determine who and what share of payments will receive in the event of his captivity or disappearance. To do this, he must make a personal order, specifying his wishes for the distribution of funds between relatives.
