Armenia says more than 5,200 servicemen have now joined its “Defender of the Homeland” program, which allows conscripts to switch from fixed-term mandatory service to five-year contract service after their first six months. Defence Minister Suren Papikyan said the number of beneficiaries rose in 2025 and has continued to increase, as the government tries to make military service more attractive through pay incentives, new career paths, and a broader move toward contract-based service.

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