The Ukrainian government has approved a measure to give its troops additional leave if they destroy Russian military equipment.
The move aims to motivate soldiers on the frontline by incentivizing their achievements on the battlefield.
Under the new measure, Ukrainian soldiers will be granted five days of leave upon confirmation that they have neutralized a Russian warplane or warship.
Additionally, the destruction of enemy anti-air defense systems and armored vehicles will be equivalent to four and three days off, respectively.
Shorter vacations will be provided to soldiers who are able to destroy other types of military equipment, such as Iran-supplied Shahed drones.
A Rare Move
Ukraine is not known for incentivizing its troops for major breakthroughs achieved against Russia.
It only offered rewards reaching $500,000 to Moscow’s soldiers who switched sides and surrendered Russian military equipment.
In contrast, Russia has been generous in giving bonuses to soldiers who destroy Western-supplied weapons in Ukraine.
In June 2023, the Russian government said it would provide 100,000 rubles ($1,200) to soldiers who destroy an enemy tank, and 50,000 rubles ($600) to those who neutralize an armored vehicle.
State advertisements also claimed Russian soldiers are being offered 57,000 rubles ($679) for every kilometer of ground gained in the war-torn nation.
Worn Out Troops
Granting vacation leaves to soldiers is a significant move for Ukraine as soldiers battle exhaustion after more than two years of war.
Frontline troops have long complained about the lack of breaks from the battlefield.
“We had a firefight for over 20 hours,” one Ukrainian soldier previously told Reuters. “Non-stop fighting, assaults, evacuations… We aren’t very fresh, and right now we need to find strength.”
