Skip to content

Thousands of Fugitives to Be Retrieved by Ukraine Authorities

Escalating numbers of Ukrainian soldiers are deserting amidst their ongoing battle against Russia's military campaign. The government has proposed an amnesty law in a bid to remedy this situation.

Returning control of approximately 29,000 absconders to Ukraine's jurisdiction
Returning control of approximately 29,000 absconders to Ukraine's jurisdiction

Thousands of Fugitives to Be Retrieved by Ukraine Authorities

In the face of Russia's prolonged invasion, Ukraine's military is grappling with a significant issue: desertion. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that the army recruits up to 30,000 new soldiers each month [1], yet the problem of desertion continues to persist.

Between November 29, 2024, and August 2025, over 122,000 new cases of desertion were registered in Ukraine [2]. However, the actual number is believed to be much higher, with only a small percentage pursued by law enforcement and brought to court. Olexiy Sukachov, director of the State Investigation Bureau, reported that the number of fighters who returned to service is over 29,000 [3].

Ukraine has granted a pardon to these deserters who returned to military service during the same period [4]. The law, enacted to address the issue of desertion during the ongoing war, grants immunity from punishment to soldiers who have left their unit without permission for the first time upon their voluntary return [5].

Desertion is driven by various factors, including high loss rates and exhaustion, manpower decline, fear of combat and poor conditions, social resistance, and criminalization and legal consequences [2][3][4]. The ongoing brutal fighting and stretched front lines contribute to psychological and physical strain on soldiers, leading many to abandon their posts [1][3].

Measures taken by Ukraine to address desertion include a law granting amnesty to deserters who return voluntarily, criminal prosecutions, mobilization efforts and recruitment drives, and changes in command and unit management [3]. Despite these measures, the return rate of deserters remains low, with estimates suggesting that 400,000 to 500,000 soldiers have deserted [1][3][4].

Incidents of resistance to forced mobilization have been reported across Ukraine. Last Friday, a crowd in Vinnytsia in western Ukraine attempted to free dozens of mobilized men from a football stadium but was prevented by a large police presence [6]. Similarly, villagers in the Mykolaiv region in southern Ukraine beat military recruiters with clubs and steel pipes last Sunday [7].

Monthly losses due to death, injury, capture, and desertion are estimated to be at least as high as the number of new recruits [1], posing a serious challenge to sustaining Ukraine’s defense against Russian offensives.

References:

  1. The New York Times
  2. BBC News
  3. Interfax-Ukraine
  4. Reuters
  5. The Guardian
  6. AP News
  7. CNN

Despite the high number of new recruits each month and measures taken to address desertion, such as amnesty for deserters who return voluntarily, over 122,000 newly registered cases of desertion were recorded between November 29, 2024, and August 2025 in Ukraine [2]. Politics and general-news reports suggest that the actual number is believed to be much higher, driven by factors like high loss rates, fear of combat, poor conditions, and resistance to forced mobilization [2][3][4].

Read also:

    Latest