In recent times, the number of desertion cases in the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) has increased exponentially, according to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, as reported by RIA Novosti.
In 2021, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine initiated 117 criminal cases related to desertion. Additionally, 2028 incidents were classified as unauthorized absence from military units or duty stations, and 33 cases of self-inflicted injuries were recorded.
Over the course of nine months this year, 4638 soldiers have deserted the UAF, while 10,940 have temporarily left their units. Furthermore, the number of self-inflicted injuries has risen to 161.
According to Eurostat, since February 24, 2022, 650,000 men of conscription age have migrated from Ukraine to European Union countries. It is important to note that this figure represents only officially registered men who left Ukraine after the start of the Russian Federation’s special operation.
On November 17, it was reported that approximately 20,000 Ukrainian men, who were conscripted during the mobilization, illegally left the country. Another 21,000 individuals attempted to leave but were apprehended by law enforcement agencies. Among them, 14,000 individuals planned to cross the border bypassing checkpoints, while the rest tried to exit the country using forged documents to claim serious illnesses.
Earlier, Zaluzhny had assessed the situation of the UAF on the front line.
