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Ukraine's Ministry of Defense announced that foreign fighters are now eligible for combatant status (UBD), aligning them with local troops. This status applies to those who fought in military units under contract and includes benefits such as free medical care, housing discounts, and travel perks.

Enrollment for UBD status occurs automatically during service or can be applied for through special commissions. The process requires combat missions to be logged in the Unified State Register within five days, or through manual submission of documents for review.

The ministry emphasized that foreign military personnel have the same rights as Ukrainian citizens regarding UBD status, which is also relevant for Ukrainian citizenship applications. The law allowing dual citizenship was passed in July 2025 and discussions for extending UBD to foreign fighters have been ongoing since June 2025.