Desertion concerns rise as Ukraine ramps up mobilisation effort
The President of the Supreme Court, Stanisław Krawczenko, stated that the number of registered cases of soldiers leaving their units and desertation among Ukrainian soldiers is on the rise. The military is also increasingly refusing to follow orders.
Krawczenko did not specify figures for these offences, but mentioned that the number reported in the media slightly exceeds the actual statistics. He clarified that the court's chairman remarked the "situation is dangerous."
Increasing desertion in the Ukrainian army
"We have not yet thoroughly analysed this, so I cannot provide specific numbers, but there is a significant upward trend in unauthorized departures from units," Krawczenko told journalists on Tuesday in Kyiv, responding to a question from the "Interfax-Ukraine" agency about trends in crimes related to evading military service.
The number of cases related to desertion and refusal to follow orders is also rising.
In response to a query about what the state, relevant offices, and judicial authorities can do to improve the situation, Krawczenko noted that this question is better directed to someone else.
"Mobilisation and general order are necessary, but observe how negatively the Territorial Consolidated Centre (TCK) is being portrayed. They've coined 'busification'. There are queries about patriotic education. Soldiers should also be motivated, for example, through compensation," he replied.
"Busification" refers to the mass movement of soldiers during mobilization, often criticised for chaos and disorganization, impacting the army's effectiveness negatively. The term suggests that mobilisation is conducted in a simplified and irresponsible manner, raising concerns about the quality and morale of the soldiers.
Mobilisation in Ukraine: plans to recruit 160,000 people
At the start of October, TSN television published data showing that since the beginning of 2024, as many as 30,000 criminal cases were initiated related to voluntary departures from units.
In 2023, 18,000 such proceedings were initiated, and in 2022, only 7,000.
As reported on Tuesday by the Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Ukraine plans to recruit another 160,000 people, which would allow military units to reach "85% capacity."
At the same time, no decisions on this matter have yet been made. Lytvynenko added that overall, 1,050,000 citizens were drafted into the military.
There has been discussion of the planned mobilisation for several weeks. Media reports suggested that Kyiv aims to mobilise about 200,000 people by the end of the year, amid reports of increasingly harsh treatment towards those unwilling to fight.
Recently, the Territorial Recruitment Centre (equivalent to the Military Recruitment Command) has intensified raids on gyms, restaurants, and resorts in large cities.
