Ukraine offers deserters a chance to return to duty as the country grapples with a severe manpower shortage. The prolonged conflict has led to a surge in unauthorized absences, prompting military leadership to implement a “second chance” initiative to bolster their forces.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that Ukrainian military desertions have soared to 95,000 since the war’s outbreak in February 2022. Alarmingly, 60,000 occurred this year alone, accounting for two-thirds of the total.
This manpower crisis is taking a toll on Ukraine’s battlefield performance. The Guardian reports that Russian forces seized 1,202 square kilometers (464 square miles) of Ukrainian territory–an area twice the size of Washington, D.C–in the last month. This marks the largest monthly territorial loss since September 2022.
In response, the Ukrainian parliament passed legislation on November 21 allowing first-time deserters to avoid prosecution if they return to their units. The 47th Mechanized Brigade announced on social media that returning soldiers would not face punishment and could re-enlist. “Within 48 hours, over 100 volunteers came forward,” the brigade stated, adding that the volume of applications overwhelmed their processing capacity.
The initiative has already shown results. Colonel Oleksandr Hrynchuk of the Military Police reported that 6,000 deserters returned in the past month, half rejoining within 72 hours of the law’s enactment. One major of the 54th Mechanized Brigade noted that more than 30 soldiers who had deserted from other units have since joined his brigade.
Military analysts attribute the rise in desertions among experienced troops to delays in recruiting new personnel, which has slowed the rotation of battle-weary soldiers. A senior military official noted, “The high average age of our troops is leading to rapid fatigue and severely impacting morale.”
The Biden administration had suggested that Ukraine lower its conscription age from twenty-five to eighteen to increase troop numbers rapidly. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the proposal, asserting that the country’s primary shortage was in weaponry and not manpower.
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