The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is changing its approach to granting deferrals from mobilization for employees of the defense-industrial complex. From now on, information on the number of conscripts subject to reservation at critical defense-industrial complex enterprises will not be made public. The purpose of this decision is to increase the level of security of the defense sector in wartime.
The changes concern Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 76, which regulates the procedure for reserving military personnel for the period of mobilization and martial law. The Ministry of Defense noted that from now on, decisions on designating enterprises, institutions, and organizations as critically important in the defense-industrial complex will not indicate the number of employees subject to reserving.
The department explains that such adjustments take into account the specifics of the work of defense enterprises during wartime. They should create additional conditions for the continuous and large-scale production of critically important weapons, as well as reduce risks to defense sector facilities and personnel.
Separately, the Ministry of Defense emphasizes that the new rules are aimed at increasing the efficiency of management decisions and protecting sensitive information in wartime.
In parallel with this, in 2026, changes were made to the general rules for reservation from mobilization. From January 1, due to the increase in the minimum wage, the requirements for the level of remuneration of reserved employees have increased, primarily in the private sector. This is approximately 21.6 thousand hryvnias and above for both the average salary for the enterprise and for each individual employee who applies for reservation. For the public sector, these requirements have not changed significantly.
This approach, according to the government, should prevent the practice of formal reservation of employees with the minimum official salary and stimulate the de-shadowing of income in private business.
In addition, in 2026, the emphasis on the real criticality of employees has increased. Line ministries are increasingly requiring employers to justify that a specific employee is indispensable for carrying out mobilization tasks or ensuring the functioning of critical infrastructure. It is expected that this practice will become a permanent norm, and applications for reservation for template positions without convincing arguments will increasingly be rejected.
