Ukraine approves additional leave for military for destroying Russian equipment

The government adopted Resolution No. 585 on May 21.

The document states that such leave is granted to servicemen who are directly involved in measures to ensure national security and defense during the special period, measures to repel and deter Russian armed aggression. 

For each piece of destroyed Russian equipment, servicemen are granted leave of the following duration

• warship — five days;
• military aircraft — five days;
• anti-aircraft missile system — four days;
• self-propelled artillery or multiple launch rocket system — three days;
• military helicopter — four days;
• tank — three days;
• amphibious assault vehicle, armored personnel carrier, command and control vehicle, infantry fighting vehicle, artillery system — three days;
• other armored vehicles or trucks — two days;
• air defense radar systems — four days;
• counter-battery systems — two days;
• electronic warfare equipment — two days;
• light unmanned aerial vehicles of short range (range up to 70 kilometers, take-off weight 20-50 kilograms) — one day;
• medium-range unmanned aerial vehicles (radius of use from 70 to 300 kilometers, take-off weight 150-500 kilograms) — two days;
• heavy long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (radius of application from 300 to 1500 kilometers, take-off weight over 500 kilograms) — three days;
• cruise or ballistic missile — three days;
• long-range visual surveillance system — four days;
• electronic reconnaissance equipment — two days. 

By the decision of the commander of a military unit (head of a unit, body, institution or agency of the Security Service of Ukraine), leave may also be granted to other servicemen (no more than three) who were directly involved in the detection or destruction of enemy equipment.

The document also specifies that the total duration of such additional leave should not exceed 15 calendar days per year, and may be granted during a calendar year, excluding the time required to travel within Ukraine to and from the place of leave, but not more than two days one way, provided that no more than 30% of the total number of servicemen of the relevant unit are absent at the same time. The leave is granted with the preservation of salary.

• Between February 24, 2022 and May 22, 2024, Russia lost about 496,370 military personnel, 7,611 tanks, 14,721 armored combat vehicles, 12,820 artillery systems, 812 air defense systems, and 354 aircraft in Ukraine. 
• In Sevastopol, on the night of May 19, the Ukrainian Armed Forces hit the Russian missile ship Cyclone.