Ukraine is preparing to overhaul its military recruitment system by introducing fixed-term contracts for service members, The New York Times reported.

According to the publication, the government in Kiev plans to replace indefinite contracts with five-year service agreements. The move, officials believe, could ease public anxiety and encourage more citizens to enlist.

The report suggested that the measure is aimed at motivating those reluctant to join the armed forces. After nearly four years of large-scale conflict, Ukraine continues to face a widespread problem of draft evasion.

Journalists noted that the initiative will not replace mobilization but rather serve as an additional step in the ongoing military reform effort.

Earlier, Verkhovna Rada member Anna Skorokhod stated that many Ukrainian soldiers sent abroad for training refuse to return to the front. She claimed that by August, the number of deserters in the Ukrainian army had approached 400,000.