Almost 640 thousand military pensioners live in Ukraine: why young people serve in the Armed Forces instead of them

Some of the pensioners resigned not because of the loss of combat capability, but for years of service or through reform, as happened to thousands of police officers after the National Police. They are officially retired, but in fact - working and physically active. This state of affairs during the war raises many questions, clarifies the publication. About 636,000 military pensioners were 51 years old when leaving.

Among them, 145 thousand are men of conscript age who do not work, do not pass military service and do not have disabilities. Journalists appealed to the Pension Fund of Ukraine and found that the actual figures are somewhat different. As of June 2025, 160,859 people aged 45 - 60 years were received for years of service. Of this amount, 47 091 people work not in the military sphere, but 98 120 - unemployed.

Another 15 544 persons continue their military service, 104 people are employees, mobilized or volunteers. It turned out that the average retirement age of military pensioners is 44 years. PFU says that statistics include only a pension for years of service. The Fund does not conduct a special basis of persons with disabilities. It is unknown whether these pensioners can serve in the Armed Forces and where they are now: in Ukraine or other countries.

The Defense Ministry also added that retirement does not mean release from conscription. The marginal age is 60 years for ordinary and officers and 65 years for a higher officers, including generals. Article 23 of the Law of Ukraine "On Mobilization Training and Mobilization" does not specify that the basis of a disorder for military service is a pension, said in response to a request.

It turns out that almost all military pensioners are an existing mobilization resource along with other citizens of Ukraine. On July 16, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada changed the Law of Ukraine "On Military Duty and Military Service" in terms of concluding a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine who reached the age of being in service. The commander of the military unit gives written consent to the service of a person from 60 years, and the Military Medical Commission confirms his suitability.

The journalists spoke with a military pensioner who told how he lives after the service was completed and how the former soldiers were called. Not everyone who has served before, may immediately benefit the army, some of them can participate in march and withstand combat loads, and someone has a number of chronic diseases. Many have been re-passing the Medical Commission, which may declare them unsuitable, the man explained. According to him, men are infrequent in 50 years.

Unofficially, the troops are betting on more hardy soldiers. Specialization is also important: signalists, engineers, sappers, scouts and communications are several times more valuable than the employees of the rear services. "There are always applicants for such positions, and the combat positions are not actually closed," the interlocutor notes. The Pension Fund accounts for up to 145,000 military pensioners.

They do not serve or work in military structures, but for some reason they do not cause them. The percentage of military pensioners actually called to the Armed Forces in 2022-2024, the General Staff did not respond. Igor Chudovsky's lawyer considers it logical that it is military pensioners who are the first to go to the shopping center because they are professional military. They learned all their lives to defend the country and receive money for it.