“After the decriminalization of desertion among soldiers, its incidence has increased”, – military psychologist says

After the Verkhovna Rada passed a law “legalizing” the first instance of unauthorized absence from military units, the number of deserters has “significantly increased.” However, those who have left the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have not yet returned to their units, which the law allows without imposing penalties.

This was stated by military psychologist Andriy Kozinchuk.

“The deputies introduced what they call the decriminalization of unauthorized absence from military units, and since then, the number of such incidents has increased significantly. However, this is not only because of the deputies but also due to the conditions at the front, fatigue, and mental health issues. But the law made it easier, and people are not returning,” Kozinchuk said.

It is worth noting that under the new law on unauthorized absence, military personnel must return to their units by January 1 to avoid punishment. In addition, the law reinstates payments and social guarantees for those who had left without authorization.

Military personnel who have left their units can return using the “Army+” app, which recently added the option to file the necessary report.

Earlier, the prosecutor’s office reported that only 4,000 individuals had expressed a desire to return under the new law, even though tens of thousands of soldiers had left their units without authorization.