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Ukraine approves system to grant soldiers additional vacation days for destroying Russian military equipment

by Nate Ostiller and The Kyiv Independent news desk May 22, 2024 5:08 PM 1 min read

Destroyed Russian tanks lying in a field near the village of Bohorodychne in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on Feb. 13, 2024. (Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

This audio is created with AI assistance

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers approved a measure on May 21 that would grant additional vacation days for Ukrainian soldiers who confirm they have destroyed Russian military equipment.

Soldiers on the front line have long complained about the inability to take breaks from the battlefield. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in March that soldiers fighting "for a long time" had begun to be rotated.

According to the measures posted on the Cabinet of Ministers' website, soldiers will be given five days of leave upon confirmation they have destroyed a Russian ship or plane, four for the destruction of an anti-air defense system or a helicopter, and three for a tank or armored personnel carrier.

Shorter periods of vacation days would be provided for the destruction of other types of military equipment, such as Shahed-type drones or other vehicles.

The reward can be granted to up to three soldiers involved in the destruction of the equipment.

Authors: Nate Ostiller, The Kyiv Independent news desk

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