The “Contract 18-24” program, launched by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in February 2024, was supposed to be a new way to recruit volunteers to the army. However, over the past almost three months of its operation, the actual figures have not lived up to expectations. As the BBC reports, citing sources in the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, only about 400 people have signed the contract since February 11. On average, this is 135-140 people per month — an indicator that raises questions about the effectiveness of the initiative.
Against the backdrop of the government's ambitious statements, these numbers look particularly contrasting. Back in March, Deputy Head of the President's Office Palis claimed that the number of signatories had exceeded 500. This probably meant both new volunteers and those who had already planned to join the army.
BBC journalists spoke with the program's participants. It turned out that everyone they interviewed had previously intended to join the army — that is, the contract itself did not so much motivate new people as provide better conditions for those who were already ready to serve.
These conditions, by the way, are not entirely simple: to receive the bonuses provided by the program, soldiers need to be directly in the combat zone for at least half a year. This requirement, according to analysts, may deter those who hesitate.
Despite this, the 18-24 program has a number of advantages: it provides for a short-term contract (18 months), increased financial support, and social guarantees. However, it seems that the financial incentive alone is not enough to compensate for the risks of front-line service.
Against the backdrop of the announced mobilization campaign and the escalation at the front, the issue of effectively recruiting new military personnel remains critical. The "18-24" contract should become a voluntary alternative to mobilization, but so far this mechanism looks more like a pilot experiment than a large-scale personnel program.
