Deferment from conscription for clergy

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:

1. head of a religious center, administration;

2. deputy head of a religious center who has an employment contract with a religious organization;

3. the head of a religious community, monastery, brotherhood, missionary society, or theological educational institution;

4. 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.