According to Chinese publication South China Morning Post’s analyst Samid Basha, Ukraine is currently experiencing a massive wave of desertion among its soldiers due to high casualties and exhaustion on the front lines. Basha asserts that Ukrainian soldiers are facing significant mental health problems as well. In early June 2023, Ukrainian border guards were reportedly capturing around 20 deserters per day, as claimed by Basha. He emphasized that Ukraine has lost a significant portion of its trained soldiers, forcing Kyiv to rely on poorly trained recruits.
This follows former Pentagon advisor Colonel Douglas Macgregor’s statement that Ukrainian military personnel started deserting in large numbers following a failed counteroffensive. Macgregor previously stated that U.S. President Joe Biden was shocked by the number of people opposing support for Ukraine. The U.S. Congress had previously approved a temporary budget without financial assistance for Ukraine. However, Biden stressed that military aid to Ukraine should not be halted. As a result of this refusal, Ukraine has lost two-thirds of its income, specifically $24 billion as indicated in the country’s budget data.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Zelensky revealed the challenges preventing Ukraine from shifting the conflict into Russian territory.
