Legal Defense and Medical BoardModerate risk 6 min
Terminating Your Contract: Grounds That Actually Work Under Ongoing Mobilization
Please noteSince 2022, military service contracts are automatically extended for the duration of mobilization/martial law. Courts routinely reject discharge requests based on mobilization alone — you need a separate, documented ground.
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Report to the unit commander:
I request termination of my military service contract on the grounds of [specify the exact ground — relevant clause of Art. 51, Federal Law No. 53-FZ] and request that materials be forwarded to the military medical commission / for discharge review.
Attachment: [medical documents / documents on family circumstances / court ruling].
Sequence of actions5 steps in sequence
1
Know the actual list of grounds
Current court practice recognizes, in effect, three grounds that work: unfitness for military service on health grounds (VVK category "D" or "V"), reaching the age limit for service (50 for most contract soldiers), and an enforced criminal conviction. The argument "I no longer want to serve because of mobilization" is not accepted by courts.
Important: See the separate guide "Step-by-Step VVK Discharge" for the detailed medical commission process.
2
Family circumstances — a narrow but not closed path
Some sources point to the possibility of termination on family-circumstance grounds (sole breadwinner, caring for a disabled close relative of group I, a spouse's pregnancy or childcare needs). Each ground requires official documents and command's recognition — in practice, the outcome depends heavily on the specific unit and the commander's willingness to sign off.
Important: Gather documents in advance and submit your report in writing with a signed registration receipt — verbal promises from commanders mean nothing.
3
Don't confuse termination with unauthorized absence
Leaving service without a completed discharge is classified under Art. 337 of the Russian Criminal Code ("Unauthorized abandonment of a unit") — criminal liability applies after just one day of absence. The formal contract-termination procedure is the only legal path, however slow it may seem.
Important: Even if you are fully confident you are in the right, do not leave your unit before receiving an official decision — that turns an administrative dispute into a criminal one.
4
If the unit itself is breaching the contract
A contract is a two-way document. If command systematically breaches its terms (fails to pay owed allowances, uses you outside the specialty stated in the contract, denies your entitled leave), this can be grounds for termination on the serviceman's initiative — but it requires written documentation of every violation.
Important: Keep a personal log with dates: missed payments, violations, refusals — these records become your evidence base.
5
Where to complain if you are refused
If the commander refuses to accept your report or respond on its merits, send a written complaint to the garrison military prosecutor's office and, in parallel, to the Main Military Prosecutor's Office of Russia. Keep a copy of your report and the refusal, and pass copies to relatives.
Important: A parallel complaint from relatives to the prosecutor's office (see the "Relatives' Complaints" guide) adds pressure on the unit.