The deadline for voluntary return to service after unauthorized departure from a unit is expected to be extended

The authorities are considering extending the deadline for voluntary return to service after unauthorized absence from a military unit (UAMU).

This information reported according to Deputy Head of the Presidential Office, Iryna Vereshchuk.

“The deadline for voluntary return to service under UAMU expired on January 1, 2025. The idea is to extend this deadline (the exact duration is subject to discussion). This is currently just a proposal, but we have already started discussions with the Defense Committee of the Verkhovna Rada,” Vereshchuk announced on her Telegram channel.

There is also a proposal to incentivize recruiters from combat units for successfully persuading deserters to return to service.

“If someone is successful in getting a soldier back into formation, they should be supported and encouraged to continue their work,” she noted.

It’s worth recalling that Ukraine decriminalized the first instance of UAMU if the soldier voluntarily returned to the military before January 1.

However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) reported an increase in desertions after the law came into effect, though President Volodymyr Zelensky denied these claims.