In Ukraine, approximately 1.5 million men of draft age are wanted because they failed to update their records at territorial recruitment centers, MP Galina Yanchenko stated in a comment to TSN . She called the figure "astronomical" and emphasized the need for a systemic solution.
According to Yanchenko, if such citizens are stopped by TCC representatives, they are immediately entered into the military registration system. Meanwhile, even those who wanted to officially find employment at defense enterprises often couldn't do so without updating their registration data and undergoing a military medical examination. This, she says, created a vicious cycle: enterprises are in dire need of personnel, while a significant number of men "sit at home, hide," and are outside the legal labor market.
To address this situation, the Verkhovna Rada last week passed a bill authored by Halyna Yanchenko, David Arakhamia, and Oleksandr Zavitnevych. The document aims to create a "bridge" between defense companies and men without updated records: companies will be able to temporarily "freeze" candidates they need for 45 days, even if they have registration issues. During this time, the candidate must undergo a medical examination and other necessary procedures, after which they can be officially booked at the company.
The deputy emphasized that this provides the defense sector with a potential talent pool of 1.5 million people, and these people themselves have a "second chance" to return to legal employment and contribute to defense capability. According to her, entry-level positions in manufacturing start at 20,000–30,000 hryvnias, while salaries for specialized professionals, engineers, and R&D workers can reach several thousand dollars. Yanchenko concluded that the adopted law will strengthen the defense industry's talent pool and bring a significant portion of the population back into economic life.
