Schools obliged to keep personal military records of high school students - Ministry of Defense

Schools are required to maintain individual military registration records for high school students — boys who are turning 17. It was reported by the Ministry of Defense on its Telegram channel, according to the Ukrainian News agency.

"Schools are required to maintain personal military records. What document do high school students need to have? When a boy turns 17, he is registered for military service in one of two ways: through the conscript’s electronic account; or in person at the district territorial recruitment and social support center," the statement reads.

After registration, the young man receives a military registration document, the e-VOD — a digital military document with a QR code generated through the Reserve+ app or the Diia portal.

The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that whether displayed on a phone screen or printed, the e-VOD has the same legal validity, is valid for one year, and schools have no right to demand anything else. For a student subject to conscription, the e-VOD is the primary and standard form of his military registration document.

The Ministry of Defense explains why schools are interested in military registration.

The issue arises every year — especially during enrollment in upper grades or before the college admissions season. Parents receive a request from the school administration to provide a military registration document.

According to Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1487 of December 30, 2022, “On Approval of the Procedure for Organizing and Maintaining Military Registration of Conscripts, Persons Liable for Military Service, and Reservists,” educational institutions are among the organizations required to maintain personal military records. This means that the school verifies whether students have a military registration document and keeps the relevant information in their personal files.

"This is the institution’s obligation, not an arbitrary requirement of a specific administration. Therefore, the requirement to provide a military registration certificate is lawful. The only question is what specific form of the document the school has the right to accept," the ministry notes.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, in December the Ministry of Defense announced that from now on, men aged 18 and older will be automatically registered for military service, including those who did not register at age 17 — they will automatically receive conscript status upon turning 18.