Armenian gov’t OKs to shorten military service
YEREVAN
The Armenian government has approved a draft law that would reduce the mandatory military service term from 24 months to 18 months.
According to the bill, the winter conscription period will begin in January 2026. If the amendments are adopted by parliament, the young men drafted this winter will serve 18 months in the armed forces.
The regulation will not apply retroactively, as soldiers who are already serving will complete the full two-year term under the current law.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan previously said that the length of military service would be shortened and that defense expenditures would be reduced accordingly.
While the government insists that the reform will make military service more efficient and attractive, critics argue that Armenia’s security environment requires a fully manned and better-equipped army rather than a smaller one.
The reform is expected to be finalized before the end of the year, with officials framing it as a transition toward a more professional, contract-based military model.
