‘Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have deserted their military units,’ – MP

In Ukraine, thousands of military personnel have gone AWOL (absence without leave) from their military units.

This was reported by Member of Parliament Oleksandr Fedienko.

“Unfortunately, there are thousands of servicemen who, for various reasons, have left their units but are willing to return and fight. For example, their parents or children may be ill, and the serviceman wants to visit them, but the commander doesn’t grant leave, leading to the unauthorized departure from the unit,” he explained.

The MP stated that, according to the law passed recently, if a serviceman leaves their unit without authorization for the first time, they may be exempt from responsibility, considering the circumstances.

It’s worth noting that the Verkhovna Rada supported bill No. 11322, which reduces the penalties for unauthorized departure from a unit—specifically for those who do so for the first time. The bill passed its second reading with 270 deputies voting in favor.

Additionally, the acronym AWOL has become a meme within the Ukrainian army, highlighting the prevalence of this phenomenon.