In addition to being outgunned by Russian forces, desertion has become a significant challenge for the Ukrainian military, with reports suggesting that more than 100,000 soldiers have already abandoned their frontline duties.
Military sources recently told the Associated Press that some troops are now exhausted and demoralized as the war approaches its third year.
Some soldiers reportedly take medical leave and never return, while others clash with commanders and abandon their posts in the middle of firefights.
‘Psychologically Hard’
Speaking anonymously for his safety, one deserter explained that he was granted medical leave for surgery but decided not to return.
Ukrainian troops are allowed to take up to 10 days off every six months, but ongoing manpower shortages often lead to delays or cuts in these mandatory breaks.
“The best way to explain it is imagining you are sitting under incoming fire and from the (Russian) side, it’s 50 shells coming toward you, while from our side, it’s just one. Then you see how your friends are getting torn to pieces, and you realize that any second, it can happen to you,” he said.
Serhii Hnezdilov, also charged with desertion, expressed frustrations over the leadership of the war effort, which he views as seemingly “unwinnable.”
After five years of service, he left to seek medical help and never returned, feeling there was no hope of demobilization.
“If there’s no end term, it turns into a prison – it becomes psychologically hard to find reasons to defend this country,” Hnezdilov stated.
Consequences
Desertion is strictly prohibited under Ukrainian law, with a penalty of up to 12 years in prison.
The high desertion rate is partly attributed to Kyiv’s conscription and mobilization policies, which mandate that young men serve in the military.
However, for some defectors, imprisonment is seen as a better option than losing their lives on the battlefield.
As desertion becomes more common in Ukraine, several lawmakers are now proposing to decriminalize first-time offenses, provided the defectors agree to return to duty.
