Ukrainian forces explained the reasons behind the mass surrender of demoralized military personnel (video).
Statements from politicians made throughout 2023 have shifted the focus from soldiers defending Ukrainians at the front lines to individuals who are finding various ways to evade mobilization. For instance, lawmakers are enacting legislation that enables more citizens to gain exemptions from conscription. Stories of those who have bribed their way out of military service negatively impact the morale of the troops. Ivan Timochko, the head of the Council of Reservists of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, discussed the possible reasons behind the mass unauthorized departures from military units (UDM) during an appearance on "News. Live."
Timochko initially criticized a soldier who had committed UDM, but then he noted, "there were many banners that almost glorified him." He later clarified that UDM refers to leaving a unit that is not on the front line, whereas desertion is the opposite. He went on to outline the reasons for the widespread departures from units, stating that politicians are partly to blame.
"There were many different reasons — both subjective and objective," — he stated in the video.
The first reason for UDM is the actions of politicians who have "twisted the meaning," according to Timochko. As a result, society is focusing on those who have evaded service rather than on the soldiers who are working hard at the front.
The second reason is legislative changes that have allowed more people to avoid mobilization or have reduced their penalties for violations.
The third reason is not related to politicians. It concerns specific organizational issues within the Ukrainian army: the inability to demobilize, complications in transferring to other units, and conflicts within divisions, as outlined by the head of the Council of Reservists.
"All of this directly affects the extent to which unauthorized departures from units increase or decrease," — the military leader concluded.
Timochko also shared a hypothetical scenario involving a soldier who hears about civilians who have avoided mobilization under various pretexts. In his view, the reasons he mentioned demoralize the service members.
"A soldier receives a call from relatives who say: 'You went to fight, you are fighting. But look, your neighbor bribed his way out, got discharged, or took leave; he was granted the right not to serve under the new law.' This is a huge complex of problems and challenges," — he remarked.
Details on UDM Issues
Notably, in October 2024, parliament member Anna Skorokhod spoke about the potential number of individuals who have left their units unauthorized. According to the politician, this figure could be around 100,000 people. Commander of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade (OShBr) Dmitry Kukharchuk identified some reasons: people are fleeing their units due to the inappropriate behavior of commanders and "lies." Meanwhile, last autumn and winter, the story of a soldier from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Sergey Gnezdilov, unfolded as he publicly declared UDM and subsequently found himself in custody. Afterward, in January 2024, a court ruling mandated his return to service.
We would like to remind you that on January 30, the German publication Welt analyzed the issues facing the Ukrainian army and noted the massive instances of UDM, the frequency of which depends on the pace of mobilization.