ENG
8655 visitors online
In recent years, desertion and going AWOL have become significant issues amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. With more than 310,000 desertion cases reported in 2025 and increasing concerns about military personnel leaving service prematurely, authorities are cracking down on duck-out schemes. High-profile cases have revealed servicemen helping to smuggle soldiers across borders, while former military officers have been sentenced for betraying their country. The Prosecutor General's Office reports schemes charging up to $15,000 for facilitating desertion. Such activities have severe legal implications, emphasizing the necessity for strict measures. Desertion has also affected Russian troops, with growing numbers refusing to obey orders, further straining military cohesion. Authorities in both Ukraine and Russia are vigilant, aiming to mitigate the detrimental impact desertion has on their forces and national security.
What is the significance of the desertion issue in Ukraine?
The desertion issue in Ukraine poses a major challenge to its military operations and national security. With over 310,000 cases reported in 2025 alone, the problem underscores significant morale and loyalty issues within the forces. Such actions disrupt unit cohesion, affect military readiness, and compromise operational effectiveness. Furthermore, desertion schemes facilitated by organized groups undermine legal and ethical standards, necessitating stringent measures to curb them.
How are authorities dealing with desertion-related crimes?
Authorities are actively cracking down on desertion-related crimes through investigations and prosecutions. Notable examples include the State Bureau of Investigation exposing organized groups that offered duck-out services for money. Legal consequences for individuals involved range from criminal charges to life imprisonment for severe breaches, such as espionage and passing sensitive information to enemy forces. Both Ukrainian and Russian authorities are implementing strategies to minimize occurrences and hold offenders accountable.
What are the legal consequences for desertion in Ukraine?
Legal consequences for desertion in Ukraine are severe. Individuals caught can face criminal charges that may result in extensive prison sentences, particularly if their actions involve betrayal or put national security at risk. The legal framework is designed to deter such acts and preserve the integrity of military service. Amendments to legislation have been considered to offer potential exemptions, encouraging voluntary returns and reducing legal penalties for first-time offenses to reintegrate personnel into service.
How does desertion affect military operations in Russia?
Desertion significantly affects Russian military operations, leading to disciplinary challenges and weakening of forces. Reports of troops refusing orders or fleeing sectors destabilize command structures and affect operational effectiveness. The Russian forces have reportedly resorted to using severe measures, including shooting deserters, reflecting low morale and indiscipline within ranks. Such occurrences illustrate internal challenges, complicating military engagements and overall strategic objectives.
What measures are in place to prevent and address desertion?
Measures to prevent and address desertion include legal, administrative, and strategic initiatives to uphold military discipline and loyalty. Ukraine has implemented reforms to encourage voluntary return for first-time deserters, maintaining social guarantees while ensuring accountability. Authorities engage in proactive monitoring and intelligence efforts to detect and dismantle desertion networks. Furthermore, the introduction of rehabilitation programs for returning personnel aims to reintegrate them without compromising legal and military standards.
Has the issue of desertion affected international military cooperation?
Desertion has affected international military cooperation to some extent. For instance, the reported cases among Ukrainian troops participating in training abroad are seen as marginal incidents and do not currently pose a significant impact. However, it highlights the importance of addressing underlying issues to maintain trust and cooperation with international partners. Ensuring robust legal frameworks and ethical standards across military ranks is crucial for the seamless functioning of international collaborations and achieving collective security goals.
TOP news duck-out
Ukrainian soldier joined militants after committing grave crime, - Staff A serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine defected to the Russian militants yesterday, Dec. 1, after committing a grave crime. 239 955 268
Terrorist Girkin confirms mass desertion of "DPR" militants deployed at Avdiivka, - journalist Ex-leader of the so-called "DPR" Igor Strelkov aka Girkin reports about mass desertion of "DPR" militants from the 11th motorized rifle regiment involved in battles near Avdiivka. 180 631 209 Previously in trend: Avdiivka fighting
Putin denounces detention of Russian servicemen at Crimean border, claims treachery The capture of Russian military at the border with occupied Crimea is a treachery. 132 861 348 Previously in trend: Occupation of Crimea Occupied territories - Crimea and Donbas
Russian military detained at border with Crimea defected from Ukrainian army after peninsula occupation, - SBU spokesperson The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) arrested two deserters at the border with Crimea who joined the Russian army after it had occupied the peninsula. 126 171 167 Previously in trend: Occupied territories - Crimea and Donbas
"No charges can be brought against Ukraine," - Russian lawyer on defectors detained at Crimean border The Russian Defense Ministry accused the Security Service of Ukraine of "gross provocation". Two Russians (Ukrainian ex-servicemen who violated oath by joining the Russian army) were allegedly abducted in occupied Crimea and brought into the territory of Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities insist that the detained defectors crossed the border on their own and were detained in the territory of Ukraine. 125 868 94 Previously in trend: Occupation of Crimea Occupied territories - Crimea and Donbas
Crimea’s military personnel training center ex-deputy head gets eight-year term for treason, desertion, - main military prosecutor. PHOTO Darnytsia district court of Kyiv sentenced ex-deputy head of Ukraine’s Navy and Air Force Personnel Training Center in Crimea to eight years in jail for treason and desertion. 52 636 65
Soldier Popov deserts with personal weapon after killing comrade The 93rd Mechanized Brigade has given details of the incident with a Ukrainian serviceman who killed his commander and defected to the enemy. 51 293 68
Four ‘DPR’ militants tried to desert and were killed by comrades, - Intelligence Four pro-Russian militants tried to abandon their positions and were shot by their own comrades from IFV weapons. 46 611 112 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine Occupied territories - Crimea and Donbas
Russia strengthens border to prevent inflow of deserters from Donbas, - Ukraine's MoD Russians are building fortifications on their side of the border with Ukraine in order to prevent the penetration of deserters from the Donbas. 45 291 93 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine
Russian soldier deserts from militant troops in Donbas Amid lack of motivation for further participation in Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine and deeper financial and social welfare problems, the number cases of deserting from rebel troops (the so-called 1st Army Corps, Donetsk) of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation has increased. 41 264 56
Eight Russian soldiers serving in occupied Donbas deserted, - Defense Intelligence Agency The morale in the detachments of the 9th Separate Assault Motorized Rifle Regiment of Marine Infantry (Novoazovsk) of the 1 Army Corps (Donetsk) of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is extremely low due to the forced recruitment and significant losses sustained over the past week. 33 294 43
Russian border guards report detention of two Ukrainian military in Rostov region Two Ukrainian servicemen are reported to have been apprehended in Russia's Rostov region. 33 173 87
Over 21,600 soldiers went AWOL from army in October – Ihor Lutsenko According to official data, more than 21,000 military personnel left the service without permission in October. 26 495 220 Previously in trend: AWOL in AFU
Occupiers beat those who refused to go into battle with sticks: "That’s it! You’re already "200th", f#ck!". VIDEO A video has been published online in which two occupiers are beaten with sticks by their colleagues. 26 290 104 Previously in trend: War
Russian reports of "Ukrainian deserters" are element of hybrid warfare, - State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Russian media reports on the seizure of two Ukrainian deserters are a manipulation of facts aimed at discrediting the country. 26 181 48
Mobilized residents of Donbas are deserting en masse from "army of DPR", - Kazansky. PHOTOS In occupied Donetsk, Rashists are posting announcements about the search for deserters who refused to fight in the "army of the DNR". 23 270 77 Previously in trend: War
Military Prosecutor’s Office initiated 16,000 cases against military absentees while Interior Ministry found only a thousand of them The military prosecutor's office has opened 16,000 criminal proceedings against army defectors but the police was able to find less than a thousand of them. 22 749 200
Group of 21 Russian occupants deserted on November 30 in Donetsk region and was completely destroyed - General Staff Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff released information on facts of desertion in occupants’ army. 22 435 34 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine War
Russian military Odyntsov and Baranov detained at Crimean border arrested for 2 months Court imposed a two-month pretrial confinement against Ukrainian ex-servicemen Oleksandr Baranov and Maksym Odyntsov who deserted to Russian army and were recently detained at the border with occupied Crimea. 20 260 97
Russian soldier from brigade accused of atrocities in Bucha fled to Spain and wants to testify about crimes of Russians The former serviceman of the armed forces of the Russian Federation declared his readiness to cooperate with the international investigation of the war crimes of the occupiers. 19 613 53 Previously in trend: War
SBI detained soldier of 56th SMIB Hnezdilov, who publicly went AWOL. PHOTO A soldier of the 56th Separate Motorised Infantry Brigade, Serhii Hnezdilov, who publicly stated about AWOL, was detained. 19 019 117
Rada adopts draft law on easing liability for AWOL or desertion The Verkhovna Rada has adopted in the second reading a draft law that provides for the possibility of exempting military personnel from criminal liability for AWOL or desertion. 17 281 31 Previously in trend: War
There is tendency to increase number of cases of AWOL - Supreme Court Chief Justice Kravchenko Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Stanislav Kravchenko notes a tendency to increase the number of registered cases of AWOL, desertion and failure to comply with orders. 16 687 192 Previously in trend: War
Captured deserters may be put on prisoner swap list, - SBU's Hrytsak Two former Ukrainian servicemen Oleksandr Baranov and Maksym Odyntsov, apprehended at the Crimean border on Nov. 20, may be added to the list of persons that can be exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners held in the terrorist-controlled territory. 16 204 56 Previously in trend: Occupied territories - Crimea and Donbas
Verkhovna Rada is working on bill on complete exemption from criminal liability for AWOL - "servant of people" Venislavskyi The parliament is currently working on a bill that provides for complete exemption from criminal liability if a person goes AWOL and voluntarily returns to the army. 14 094 72
Occupiers are afraid of HIMARS strikes and are fleeing from bases and warehouses in the Zaporizhia region According to Ukrainian intelligence, after the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit the military facilities of the occupiers with high-precision weapons in the temporarily occupied territory of the Zaporizhia region, panic began in the occupier's army. 14 060 29 Previously in trend: War
Rada adopts law in first reading providing for exemption from criminal liability for prolonged AWOL or desertion In the first reading, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law that provides for the possibility of exempting military personnel from criminal liability for prolonged absence without leave (prolonged AWOL) or desertion. 11 945 64 Previously in trend: War
Ukrainian Armed Forces: Russian occupants start to rebel and flee from trenches in Tavria direction The units of the Russian occupation forces in the Tavria direction do not want to attack, they are rebelling and fleeing from the trenches. 11 495 34 Previously in trend: War
Russia's report of Ukrainian "deserters" was planned. Manipulation of facts is obvious, - Slobodian Russia is manipulating facts and spreading false information about the apprehension of Ukrainian "border guards-deserters." 11 395 20
About 500 Russian troops refused to fight and returned to Kabardino-Balkaria. They were not brought to trial, but only fired Now they are trying to resume in court, calling their dismissal illegal. 11 375 12 Previously in trend: War
Ex-Navy Deputy Commander Yelisieiev to be questioned on suspicion of treason, desertion, terrorism The Military Prosecutor's Office of the Southern region summons former Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian Naval Forces, Vice Admiral Serhii Yelisieiev for questioning. 11 368 36 Previously in trend: Occupation of Crimea
Russian Guard in Zaporizhzhia region shot 6 Russian soldiers who expressed desire to surrender, - General Staff The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released information on the methods used by the occupants to combat desertion in their own troops. 10 918 30 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine War
Ex-officer from Lviv region gets life sentence for betraying Ukraine: fled to Moscow and leaked data on Ukraine’s Armed Forces equipment – SBI A former officer from the Lviv region who, while on leave abroad, fled to Russia and passed information to the occupiers about his unit’s military equipment and the deployment of its personnel has been sentenced to life imprisonment. 10 817 106 Previously in trend: High treason
"Sit down, sit down, f#ck!" – occupiers beat their own for desertion during combat. VIDEO Russian troops beat their comrade for abandoning his combat position and "leaving his own behind." 10 440 38 Previously in trend: Desertion in the army
An Armed Forces sergeant deserted and tricked prisoner’s wife out of 70,000 UAH, promising to release him from captivity. PHOTOS A soldier from Sumy region did not return to his military unit after treatment. He engaged in fraud: he deceived the wife of a prisoner of war and tricked her out of UAH 70 thousand for promises to release her husband from captivity. 10 275 19
Armed Russian convicts in ranks of Russian army regularly leave units and try to desert - General Staff AFU General Staff released information on cases of desertion by prisoners who were mobilized in Russia and sent to Ukraine. 8 562 47 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine War
Nearly 290,000 AWOL and desertion cases opened during full-scale war – Prosecutor General’s Office. INFOGRAPHICS From January 2022 to September 2025, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies opened nearly 290,000 criminal proceedings for absence without leave (AWOL) and desertion. 8 247 126 Previously in trend: AWOL in AFU
Stole car at training ground and fired at police officers: deserter detained in Rivne region, - National Police. PHOTOS The 49-year-old suspect left the military unit without permission, stole a car from the training ground and went into hiding from the investigation. During a search, police seized prohibited items and substances. 8 014 72 Previously in trend: AWOL in AFU
About 110 soldiers deserted from Russian army units overnight - General Staff Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff releases updated information on mass desertions in Russian army. 7 818 30 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine War
About 14,900 criminal cases filed against deserters in Crimea in 2014-2015, - military prosecutor 14,894 criminal proceedings have been imitated by the prosecution authorities regarding almost 19,000 soldiers, who remained in the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea during the Russian occupation of the peninsula in 2014-2015, and whose actions bore signs of draft evasion and desertion. 7 650 65 Previously in trend: Occupation of Crimea
More than 40 occupiers from 150 motorized rifle divisions were sent from Luhansk region to Russian Federation under convoy. They refused to participate in battles - General Staff In the occupying forces of the Russian Federation, there are numerous cases of servicemen refusing to carry out criminal orders and participate in hostilities. 6 473 14 Previously in trend: War
Soldier of 56th SMIB Hnezdilov, who publicly went for AWOL, was informed of suspicion - lawyer Shadrin Serhiy Hnezdilov, a soldier of the 56th Separate Motorised Infantry Brigade, who publicly reported on AWOL, was served with a suspicion of desertion. 6 297 31
Russia resumes practice of blocking squads and shooting deserters, - British intelligence Russia is probably resorting to the tactic of shooting at deserters, which shows the low morale and indiscipline of the Russian troops 5 812 17
Soldiers who left their units without permission for first time started returning to front instead of imprisonment - SBI Some detained servicemen who left the unit without permission for the first time and voluntarily decided to continue their service were released from custody. 5 602 34
There is panic in ranks of occupiers, there are confirmed facts of increasing desertion, - Ministry of Defense Panic moods continue to spread among the personnel of the Russian occupation forces. 4 768 15
Over 250,000 AWOL and desertion cases opened during war – Prosecutor’s Office Over the course of the war, more than 200,000 cases have been opened in Ukraine for AWOL, and over 50,000 for desertion. 4 689 60 Previously in trend: AWOL in AFU
Zelenskyy signs law on voluntary return to service after first AWOL or desertion President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed Law No. 12095 on voluntary return to service for those who have gone AWOL from a military unit or deserted for the first time. 3 885 29
How to return after AWOL or deserting: SBI explains updated procedure As of 1 March 2025, an updated procedure has come into effect for servicemembers who have gone AWOL (Absent Without Leave). 3 765 8 Previously in trend: Returning to the Armed Forces after AWOL
Page 1 of 2
more top news
