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Absence without leave in Ukrainian army grows — Bloomberg

According to experts interviewed by Bloomberg, the number of AWOL cases may surpass 100,000, but the Ukrainian authorities do not officially disclose such data

NEW YORK, December 6. /TASS/. As the number of Ukrainian military servicemen deserting or arbitrarily leaving their positions has been growing, the shortage of personnel in the army has turned from severe to critical, the Bloomberg news agency reports, citing the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office and expert testimony.

According to the report, since the beginning of Russia's special operation in 2022, Ukraine has opened nearly 96,000 criminal cases against servicemen who abandoned their positions, according to data from the Prosecutor General's Office. That represents a six-fold increase over the past two years, with most of the cases opened this year. The agency notes that going absent without leave, or AWOL, has become the only respite—a chance to recuperate and tend to their family lives. Desertion, when soldiers leave for good, is considered a graver crime but is less frequent.

According to experts interviewed by Bloomberg, the number of AWOL cases may surpass 100,000, but the Ukrainian authorities do not officially disclose such data. Bloomberg says that "as Ukraine's army struggles to hold back Russian advances, its manpower disadvantage is becoming more acute." As a result, "some troops are deployed indefinitely with no chance of a break," leading to both physical and psychological exhaustion of the personnel.

Also, according to the agency's sources in the Ukrainian military, the army is grossly disorganized and overly bureaucratic amid unsuccessful attempts to revamp it according to NATO templates. In addition, the armed forces suffer a lack of equipment, for which soldiers often have to raise funds themselves.

Many specialized units, including air defense system operators, are being sent to the frontline as infantry due to the dire need for reinforcements.

Earlier, Ukrainian General Dmitry Marchenko said that the frontline had collapsed under the pressure of Russian forces due to personnel fatigue and scarce reserves. On October 29, the head of Ukraine's Supreme Court, Stanislav Kravchenko, said that there had been a significant upsurge in desertions and disobedience. He described the situation as threatening.

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