Returning Soldiers: Thousands Rejoin the Ukrainian Military Forces in Kiev
The Ukrainian government, in a bid to address the ongoing issue of desertion in its armed forces, enacted an amnesty law in late 2024. This law grants immunity to soldiers who have deserted for the first time if they voluntarily return to military service [1][3][5].
Drafted in cooperation with the military, the amnesty law was designed to help stabilize troop numbers amid the ongoing war with Russia. The law has proven successful in encouraging many soldiers to return without fear of punishment, with over 29,000 deserters returning to service between November 29, 2024, and August 2025 [1][3][5].
However, the problem of desertion remains a significant challenge for the Ukrainian armed forces. Since the start of the war in February 2022, about 224,000 deserter cases have been registered by prosecutors, with over 122,000 new cases recorded during the same period that the amnesty law was in effect [1][3][5].
It is believed that the actual number of desertions is much higher than the recorded cases, as many instances go unreported or are not pursued by law enforcement [1][3][5]. Violence against military recruiters is not uncommon, with reports of incidents in the Mykolaiv region and Vinnytsia, where crowds attempted to free mobilized men and villagers beat up military recruiters with clubs and metal pipes [2].
In Vinnytsia, a crowd attempted to free mobilized men from a football stadium but were prevented by a large police presence [1]. Such incidents highlight the resistance to forced mobilization from the civilian population, which contributes to the high desertion rates [2][3][5].
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues to result in tens of thousands of deserters, putting immense pressure on the military to sustain frontline strength amid prolonged conflict [1][2][3][5]. Despite the challenges, the amnesty law has provided a crucial step towards addressing the issue of desertion and ensuring the continued defence of Ukraine.
References:
[1] ntv.de
[2] jpe/dpa
[3] Unnamed source 1
[4] Unnamed source 2
[5] Unnamed source 3
The Ukrainian government's enactment of the amnesty law, in concert with the military, aims to mitigate war-and-conflicts-induced economic and social cohesion issues by addressing desertion in the armed forces. However, despite the amnesty law and its success in encouraging some deserters to return, the problem of desertion remains a persistent challenge, resulting in significant economic and social cohesion disruptions within the community.
