Ukrainian army has "desertion crisis" - The Guardian
By the end of the third year of a full-scale war, the mood in the Ukrainian army has changed from readiness for self-sacrifice to exhaustion. Due to the lack of infantry and the conflict situation, the number of deserters is increasing, which is leading to a crisis at the front.
This is stated in the material of The Guardian.
The author spoke with several servicemen who volunteered to the front in 2022, and are now considered deserters. According to them, the longer the war lasts, the more there will be who leave the trenches. The publication writes that after three years of war, Ukraine lacks soldiers, especially infantry. This has become one of the reasons for the advancement of the russian occupiers in the east.
The Commissioner of Ukraine for the Protection of the Rights of Servicemen Olha Reshetylova noted that she understands why some servicemen decided to voluntarily leave their positions.
"Let's be honest. The problem is big. It's natural in a situation where you've had three years of a big war. People are exhausted. They want to see their families. Their children are growing up without them. Relationships are falling apart. Wives and husbands can't wait forever. They feel lonely," Reshetylova said.
According to her, many servicemen have poor mental health, which is why a small conflict with a senior officer can "provoke" them to flee their unit. Reshetylova said that the problem of desertion is complex and confusing, and it cannot be solved by criminal liability.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on January 10, the State Bureau of Investigation reported that more than 7,000 servicemen who had voluntarily left their units for the first time had returned to the Ukrainian army.
In December 47, a separate mechanized brigade announced the receipt of almost 100 applications from fighters who want to return from the voluntarily leave.
Recall that the Verkhovna Rada extended the opportunity to voluntarily return from the voluntarily leave until March 1.