Deferment is a temporary exemption from military service.
Deferral may be granted for various reasons, such as education, health, family circumstances, etc. The list of grounds for granting a deferral is given in Article 23 of the Law on Mobilization. Among those granted a deferral are those booked for the mobilization period and for wartime by state authorities, other state bodies, local self-government bodies, as well as enterprises, institutions and organizations in accordance with the procedure established by the Cabinet of Ministers, and are on special military registration.
Reservation is a specific form of deferment granted to employees of certain organizations and enterprises. Reservation is granted to employees of enterprises, organizations, and institutions that are critically important for ensuring the defense capability of the state.
Reservation is carried out to ensure the functioning of the economy, state bodies and meet the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Employees who are reserved are not subject to conscription for military service during mobilization. Reservation is possible both in peacetime and in wartime, in accordance with the legislation.
Thus, a deferral is granted on the basis of a reservation. The main difference lies in the grounds for granting and the conditions of application: a deferral can be granted individually for various reasons, while a reservation is granted to ensure the work of strategically important organizations and enterprises.
On March 21, 2025, the order of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine dated February 5, 2025 (registered with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine on February 19, 2025 under No. 263/43669) entered into force, which established the criteria for classifying a religious organization as one that is necessary for the functioning of the economy and ensuring the livelihoods of the population during this special period.
According to this Procedure, a religious organization is recognized as essential if it simultaneously meets a number of criteria. Among them:
a religious organization must be entered into the Unified State Register of Enterprises, Institutions and Organizations of Ukraine by December 26, 2024;
a religious organization that is not included in the list of religious organizations in Ukraine is affiliated (linked by one or more characteristics defined by Article 51 of the Law of Ukraine On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations) with a foreign religious organization whose activities are prohibited in Ukraine;
the statute (regulations) of the religious organization regarding the official name have not become invalid;
the location of the legal entity of the religious organization is not located in the territory of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation;
the religious organization is included in the Register of Non-Profit Institutions and Organizations;
a religious organization submitted a report on the use of income (profits) of a non-profit organization for the previous basic reporting (tax) period.
The list of positions of military personnel subject to reservation for the period of mobilization and wartime includes clergy authorized to conduct religious services, rites and ceremonies, and preach, who meet the following positions and criteria:
head of a religious center, administration;
deputy head of a religious center who has an employment contract with a religious organization;
the head of a religious community, monastery, brotherhood, missionary society, or theological educational institution;
a clergyman who is an employee of a religious center, community, monastery, brotherhood, or religious educational institution that has an employment contract with a religious organization.
The law does not provide for the possibility of granting a deferment from mobilization to all clergy.
A judge may be held disciplinary or criminally liable for disciplinary offenses and misconduct (for example, receiving an undue advantage). In particular, a judge may be held disciplinary if he violates the requirements established by law regarding the content of a court decision, fails to assess the arguments of the parties, fails to properly justify his decision, etc.