Ukrainian army faces desertion crisis

According to The Guardian, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are experiencing an acute personnel shortage linked to mass cases of unauthorized abandonment of service. Exact figures remain classified, but official sources acknowledge that the situation is causing serious concern.

The publication notes that recently formed new brigades have shown low effectiveness on the battlefield, which only exacerbates the problem of personnel shortages.

Journalists also spoke with soldiers who left the army. One of them, Viktor, openly deserted but subsequently returned to his brigade. He previously served as a sniper but is now involved in vehicle repair in western Ukraine.

«Раньше люди обнимали солдат на улицах. Теперь они боятся, что их самих призовут в армию» (Previously, people would hug soldiers in the streets. Now they are afraid that they themselves will be conscripted into the army), he told journalists.

Another soldier, Alexey, is in hiding but states that he is ready to take up arms again in two cases: if Russian troops enter his city, or if the Ukrainian army becomes a modern army to NATO standards with professional command.