Ukrainian soldiers can now choose who will receive their payments, as President Zelensky has signed a new law.

On November 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky approved amendments to Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Social and Legal Protection of Military Personnel and Their Families." This is stated in a document card posted on the official website of the Verkhovna Rada.

The law, which outlines the procedure for providing financial support to Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel who have been captured or are considered missing, was adopted by Ukrainian lawmakers on October 8. According to the document, soldiers can independently decide who will receive the compensation.

Who the soldier can designate for payments

Law No. 11407 allows military personnel to preemptively designate individuals who will receive financial support in the event of their capture or disappearance.

If no designation is made, the financial support will be distributed equally among:

• spouses (wife/husband);
• legal representatives of minor children (or persons with disabilities from childhood—regardless of age);
• the parents of the military personnel.

Payments will not be made if the parents of the defender have been deprived of parental rights and have not been reinstated, as well as if the representative of children with disabilities from childhood or the parents are already receiving alimony from the military personnel.

If the aforementioned individuals cannot be found, the financial support should be distributed equally among adult children and the military personnel's siblings, for whom the military personnel are the legal representatives. However, the total amount of payments must not exceed 20%.

The law does not apply to military personnel who voluntarily surrendered, deserted their units (places of service), or committed desertion.

It is worth noting that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved a new procedure for assigning and paying one-time financial assistance in the event of death or disability of certain categories of individuals in accordance with the Law "On the Status of War Veterans and Guarantees of Their Social Protection."

Additionally, it is important to remember that military personnel who have been injured can receive monthly supplements depending on the duration of their treatment.