Ukraine’s defense ministry on Sunday, June 14, provided new details of a sweeping military reform that includes higher frontline pay, new contract rules and the gradual demobilization of some long-serving troops. In a statement published on Telegram, the ministry said soldiers facing greater risks on the battlefield will receive greater compensation and benefits under the new reforms.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “For the first time in the Ukrainian military, a principle is being introduced: The more risk you take, the more you receive,” the ministry said. The ministry said the relevant government resolutions were approved on Friday and are expected to take effect once signed and officially published. Demobilization to begin for longest-serving troops The ministry said phased demobilization is expected to begin by the end of the year, following instructions from President Volodymyr Zelensky. The first troops eligible for release will be those with the longest service records, including soldiers who have served since 2014 and those mobilized at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The ministry did not specify how many personnel might be demobilized at the initial stage of the process. The announcement expands on reform proposals first outlined by Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in May, when he said phased demobilization could begin in 2026 as part of a broader overhaul of Ukraine’s military personnel system. The issue of demobilization has sparked major debate among lawmakers in 2024, when the country revised its mobilization law. The clause was ultimately omitted from the bill despite significant pressure from parts of society.