In addition to being outgunned by Russian forces, desertion has become a significant challenge for the Ukrainian military. Reports suggest that more than 100,000 soldiers have abandoned their frontline duties. As the war approaches its third year, troops are reportedly exhausted and demoralized, according to recent military sources who spoke to the Associated Press.
Some soldiers take medical leave and do not return, while others clash with commanders and abandon their posts during firefights. One deserter, who spoke anonymously for safety reasons, explained that he was granted a medical leave for surgery but decided not to go back. Ukrainian troops are allowed up to 10 days off every six months, but ongoing manpower shortages often lead to delays or cuts in these mandatory breaks.
The deserter described the situation vividly: “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.”
Another individual, Serhii Hnezdilov, who is also charged with desertion, expressed frustrations about the leadership of the war effort, which he perceives as seemingly “unwinnable.” After five years of service, he left to seek medical help and never returned, feeling a lack of hope for demobilization. Hnezdilov stated, “If there’s no end term, it turns into a prison – it becomes psychologically hard to find reasons to defend this country.”
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 require young men to serve in the military. However, for some defectors, imprisonment is perceived as a better alternative than losing their lives on the battlefield. As desertion becomes more common, several lawmakers are proposing to decriminalize first-time offenses, provided the defectors agree to return to duty.
