invasion, the narrative surrounding the Ukrainian Armed Forces has long focused on unflinching heroism. But an equally critical, and far quieter, story is emerging from official data: a crisis of desertion and unauthorized absence (AWOL) that threatens to undermine the military's long-term resilience.
This is not a story of cowardice, but one of collective exhaustion, broken promise, and the profound human cost of indefinite war.
📉 The Shocking Statistics of Strain
The true scale of the issue is difficult to grasp until you look at the figures. Reports citing data from the Prosecutor General's Office and military judicial bodies confirm a frightening trend:
* The number of criminal cases opened for AWOL and desertion has accelerated rapidly, currently running into the tens of thousands per month across the entire military structure.
* The raw figures show that the claim of "over a thousand" soldiers leaving monthly is a severe underestimation, with specific desertion charges alone numbering in the thousands monthly, and total unauthorized absences being significantly higher.
* Since February 2022, Ukrainian authorities have reportedly opened well over 250,000 criminal proceedings related to abandoning military units.
These figures are a powerful, undeniable measure of the psychological breaking point across the nation’s fighting force.
⛓️ The Indefinite Sentence of Service
Why are tens of thousands of soldiers—many of whom are veterans of two years of brutal combat—choosing to risk years in prison by leaving their posts? The reasons are rooted in policy failures and the relentless nature of the war:
* The Demobilization Trap: This is the most significant factor. Under martial law, there is no clear end date for military service. For those who volunteered or were mobilized in 2022, their commitment has become an indefinite sentence. The lack of a legal path to demobilization crushes morale and replaces hope with resentment.
* Physical and Mental Burnout: Two years of relentless combat, inadequate rotation cycles, and insufficient time for physical and psychological recovery have pushed soldiers past the point of exhaustion. The cumulative trauma demands rest that the current system cannot afford.
* The Unwilling Conscript: Manpower shortages have led to increasingly aggressive, and sometimes forceful, conscription drives. New recruits, often ill-prepared or psychologically unsuited for combat, are less likely to integrate and more likely to desert, viewing military service not as a duty but as an oppressive capture.
* Eroded Trust: The severity of the legal penalties (up to 12 years for desertion under martial law) highlights the seriousness of the issue, yet the very high numbers indicate that for many, the fear of indefinite service outweighs the fear of punishment.
🧠Navigating the Crisis
For the Ukrainian state, this represents a critical strategic challenge. A military cannot function effectively if its troops are constantly battling mental exhaustion and uncertainty about their future. While discipline is essential, the answer is not solely punitive.
Addressing the quiet crisis requires a shift in strategic priorities:
* Restore the Promise: The government must urgently establish a clear, legally defined demobilization framework for long-serving personnel. Giving veteran soldiers a pathway home is not only a matter of fairness, but a vital tool for recruiting and motivating the next wave of defenders.
* Prioritize Rotation and Rest: Dedicated effort must be made to pull veteran units off the most intense front lines for genuine, long-term rest and recuperation, not just short breaks.
* Invest in Mental Health: Massively expand psychological support and trauma treatment across all branches of the military. A healed mind is as important as a rested body.
The desertion rate is a crucial indicator of the internal pressure on Ukraine’s war machine. Recognizing the immense sacrifices made by its soldiers and creating a sustainable, humane system is the only way to heal the rift between the military and the society it is defending. The quiet crisis of morale requires a loud and urgent governmental response.