Ukraine offers cash, perks and purpose to lure Gen Z into military as war drags on

Ukraine offers cash, perks and purpose to lure Gen Z into military as war drags on

As Ukraine’s war against Russia grinds into its fourth year, the country is launching an aggressive campaign to enlist its youngest generation of adults, offering cash incentives, interest-free mortgages, and education perks to teens like Kyrylo Horbenko, who joined the army shortly after turning 18, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Horbenko is one of around 500 early recruits to “Contract 18-24,” a new government program rolled out in February 2024 targeting 18- to 24-year-olds with a $24,000 sign-on bonus, free tuition, and a salary nearly six times the national average. His decision reflects a rare but growing willingness among Gen Z Ukrainians to take up arms even as their peers flee the draft, hide from recruiters, or emigrate altogether.

A generational dilemma

The Ukrainian government has largely shielded youth from the war effort until now, in hopes of preserving the next generation for rebuilding the country. But mounting casualties and flagging recruitment have left Kyiv with few choices. With older volunteers exhausted and draft dodging rampant, officials are now turning to young adults who had previously been spared.

The Contract 18-24 program is designed to be voluntary, offering lifestyle perks and short service periods in exchange for a year of military commitment. The initiative is marketed with TikTok-style campaigns and social media content tailored to Gen Z. Despite the buzz, uptake has been slow, with bureaucracy and family pressure deterring many.

Recruits face resentment and resistance

For those who do sign up, the decision isn’t without controversy. Some older soldiers who served at the outset of the war see the program’s benefits as unfair. Maj. Yevheniy Hromadsky, a decorated veteran who earned just 12,000 hryvnia a month in 2022 while defending Kharkiv, calls for mandatory national service and greater focus on military education, arguing Ukraine needs engineers and logistics experts as much as it needs fighters.

Hromadsky sees a generational gap between his peers—who matured amid the early years of Russian aggression—and today’s youth, many of whom grew up during quieter periods and now face war fatigue and disillusionment. “The army needs people with a higher education,” he said, advocating for a two-year conscription system that integrates post-service university access.

A race against time

Ukraine’s population is increasingly weary, with thousands of young men opting to move to Poland, Germany, or Slovakia to avoid the draft. With no peace in sight and front lines continuing to stretch thin, the government is racing to plug its manpower shortfall. Russia, meanwhile, has expanded its military to 1.5 million and continues to lure recruits with even larger bonuses.

For some Ukrainian teens, like 19-year-old Oleksandr Bahach, the urgency is clear. “The bitter truth is that we’re losing this war,” he said, citing devastating losses in Bakhmut and Avdiivka. Bahach joined after seeing an ad for the 18-24 program and now trains alongside Horbenko for Ukraine’s elite 25th Airborne Brigade.

Preparing for war, hoping for peace

The recruits train for months before deployment, rotating through physical drills and tactical prep. In the evenings, they watch battlefield footage or test new gear. Horbenko, aware that he is both underprepared and emotional, says he’s trying to toughen himself mentally: “I’m preparing for the worst, so that when it happens I can stay calm and handle it.”

In Ukraine today, for many young men, the choice is no longer between war and peace—it’s between volunteering for the military with perks, or waiting to be drafted later with none. As the conflict shows no sign of ending, the Ukrainian government is betting that a new generation might still be persuaded to step forward.