Armenia to cut military service to 18 months from January 2026

The Armenian government is set to reduce the length of mandatory military service from 24 months to 18 months from the winter 2025 draft, Defense Minister Suren Papikyan said on Thursday.

The minister told lawmakers that the amendments to the “Law on Military Service and Status of Servicemen” would apply to young men conscripted from 7 January 2026 onward and would not affect those already serving as of January 1, 2026.

Papikyan noted the decision follows sustained efforts to boost the attractiveness and expansion of contract military service in recent years.