What it looks like for someone on the ground
Imagine an entrepreneur or a public-sector employee who already has the status of participant in combat operations (UBD) and learns about a new possibility to receive a separate status as a volunteer of the Security and Defence Forces of Ukraine. For that person this would mean not only a gesture of recognition but also concrete everyday changes, such as extra annual leave and free access to a number of facilities.
At the same time the new status will carry mandatory conditions and paperwork. The key question for many people will be whether their existing documents are sufficient to prove the voluntary nature of their participation in the war and whether the confirmation procedure will not drag on for months.
Where the draft law is now and who it affects
We are talking about draft law No. 16129, which was registered on 6 October 2026. The document is currently under review by a parliamentary committee and, if adopted, the procedure for granting the new status will be developed by the Cabinet of Ministers.
In practice, therefore, the status may be granted only to people who already hold UBD and simultaneously meet one of the specified criteria. That limits the circle of applicants and makes the process phased — first the status of participant in combat operations and then the additional recognition as a volunteer.
Exactly who is being proposed for the status
The draft sets out three main categories of eligible people, each with its own specifics. The first category covers people who voluntarily joined the armed forces without a summons during the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO), the Joint Forces Operation (OOS) or a period of martial law.
The second category concerns participants in volunteer formations in 2014 who directly took part in operations or their support. The third category includes civilians who, from 24 February to 25 March 2022, took part in defending their towns and communities in cooperation with law enforcement bodies or as part of volunteer formations.
Brief list of categories
The first category is volunteers who joined the armed forces without a summons. The second is those who were in formations in 2014 and took part in operations. The third is civilian defenders in the first month of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
What benefits the new status could bring
The draft law proposes a separate package of guarantees that would add to, not replace, UBD rights. Among the main proposals are an extra week of paid leave that can be taken at a convenient time and free access to state and municipal swimming pools, gyms and sports complexes.
In addition, access to certain cultural institutions, library and archival collections specified by law is envisaged. Also, in public service a candidate with volunteer status could receive priority under equal conditions in the case of identical competition results.
The main practical difficulty
The most difficult issue for many applicants will be proving that they voluntarily joined the armed forces without a summons. For participants of volunteer formations, evidence may include documents proving participation in the relevant formation and defensive activities, but for those who turned up independently at a territorial recruitment centre or military unit the question is more complicated.
In some cases territorial recruitment centres (TSK) issued summons even to volunteers, so the final confirmation procedure must be established by the government. If the law is adopted, the Cabinet of Ministers will develop a mechanism setting out which specific documents and procedures will be sufficient to grant the status.
What this means for the labour market and social payments
For employers, the new status could become an additional argument in competition for staff because it provides advantages in public service. For the social service system it means additional categories with the right to use municipal services, which will require financial and organisational support.
Thus the draft law offers not just a distinction but a status with a range of benefits, while obtaining it may not be straightforward because it requires holding UBD and proving the voluntary nature of participation in Ukraine’s defence.
As we wrote, Combat payments in 2026: which military personnel can receive up to 460 thousand UAH
