The number of deserters in the Ukrainian army is increasing year by year: thus, compared to the same period last year, such cases increased by 3.7 times. In 10 months of this year, 19,922 criminal proceedings were opened under this article. Only 3% of cases this year were served with suspicion, and only 1.3% of cases reached court, the Opendatabot portal reports.
41,950 criminal proceedings were opened due to the unauthorized abandonment of a unit this year — twice as many as due to desertion. Cases under Article 407 increased by 3.3 times over the year. At the same time, cases regarding the unauthorized abandonment of a unit are also being investigated more effectively: suspicion was received in 13% of cases, and 7% reached court.
"Criminal law stipulates that both the unauthorized abandonment of a unit and desertion are voluntary abandonment of the place of service. However, it is important that these crimes differ precisely in the behavior of the serviceman after such an act and the purpose of such actions. If a person takes measures to return to service, such a violation will be qualified as the unauthorized abandonment of a unit. Desertion, by its very nature, is hiding from law enforcement and other state bodies, as well as military administration bodies, in order to evade military service. Desertion, unlike the unauthorized abandonment of a unit, is a particularly serious military crime and is punishable by imprisonment for up to 12 years," comments lawyer Valentyna Slobodianiuk.
The unauthorized abandonment of a unit is considered a temporary abandonment of the place of service without the permission of the commander or good reasons, or failure to appear at it for a certain period. Unlike the unauthorized abandonment of a unit, desertion is in cases where a serviceman does not intend to return.
As previously reported, according to the German publication DW, twice as many soldiers fled the front in half a year than in all of 2023.
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