Ukrainian soldiers fire rocket artillery toward Russian positions.
Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Ukraine is offering foreign fighters higher pay and longer fixed-term contracts to fill dangerous front-line infantry and assault roles, a move soldiers say could help address one of Kyiv's biggest manpower problems.However, foreign fighters told Business Insider that the effort's success will depend on whether Ukraine can persuade recruits to stay longer rather than leaving right after hitting the six-month minimum."More guys will come for the money, obviously," said Ryan O'Leary, the company commander of Chosen, a volunteer unit in Ukraine. However, he said it won't automatically fix the country's manpower issues because Kyiv still has a "revolving door" of foreigners leaving after short contracts.Ukraine announced a significant overhaul of its compensation for military personnel last month, with officials laying out an ambitious plan for higher pay, more combat bonuses, and longer fixed-term contracts.The combat pay plan includes new contracts of six to 14 months for infantry and assault troops, with service members eligible for an average monthly pay of UAH 300,000 (nearly $7,000) and a maximum of UAH 460,000 (over $10,000), depending on the number of days at the front lines.Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's defense minister, described them as the "highest salaries in the world for infantry," calling these front-line roles the "most difficult and risky job" right now. He said the goal is to fill 30-50% of these positions with foreigners.These jobs can be some of the deadliest. Front-line positions are often described as kill zones, the threat of drones making it hard not only to survive but even to get there in the first place. Pay can be a strong motivation, though.
