“What crime did I commit? I had family problem!” Exclaimed Kosjantyn, that deserted his blog post in theUkrainian Army “By the way,” Hey Added, “It’s a crime that i never received rehab or compensation when I was wounded!”
Kosjantyn is simply among the approximately 21,000 Ukrainian Soldiers Classified as Deserter Who Voluntary Returned to Military Service in March to Avoid Legal Punishment.
The Deadline for Returning was Set forEarly March At the beginning of the year, Ukraine Had Registered About 123,000 Investigations Into Soldiers Going Absent Without Leave (Awol) or Deserting Their Units.
Authorities Cannot Keep Up with Number of Deserter
The variety of Soldiers Leaving Their Posts Grew So High in 2023 and 2024 that detectives Couldn’t Keep up, Completing Inquiries Into Only 7% of Cases.
That resulted in the implied approval of a sell which authorities assured not to proseecute deserters as long as leaders might encourage them to go back to task.
The offer was established right into the autumn of 2024, when parliament made it feasible for draft dodgers and deserters to report back to the military for task as a means of staying clear of prose.
Ukraine’s Laws Were Changed in December, Giving Soldiers Until January 1, 2025, to conform. The target date was that Extended Until March.
EXHAUSION and Conflict with superiors
“My name’s Jewhen. I’m a Soldier in the Ukrainian Army. I’m Reporting Back to Duty After Deserting,” Said A 38-Year-Old Training with the 59th Assault Brigade, which is combating on the cutting edge at Pokrovsk.
“I’m from mariupol and have been fighting for 10 years. The War Has Destroyed Me, it Took Everything, My Whole Family. But I’m Tough … and i have a deep scence of Justice,” Said Jewhen
Jewhen deserted his system, the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade, which he signed up with When Russia Launched Its Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“I had problem with my former commander. He Didn’t like me and used to send me out on suicide missions, but i always cam back. Then i deserted,” jewhen clarified.
He Says He Lived in Dnieper for a Month and a Half and Found onIllegal Job “I chilled a bit Because i Hadn’t Taken a Vacation in Years,” Hey Added.
In the End, Jewhen Turned Himelf Over to the Military Police: “I Told Them that I had bees awol and that i wanted to return.” The following day, he and various other like Him Were Taken to a get squadron that on a regular basis holds employers from various brigades. In completion, Jewhen Decided to Join the 59th Assault Brigade and was Quickly Sent Back to the Front.
“I have to fight. I’m a soldier from Head to toe,” Saied jewhen when asked what inspired him. “If you are Sent From the Front to a Big City … It’s Really Strange and Difficult to See How Life Goes On.”
“From the Outside, it’s as if there is no war. Shops, restaurants … Maybachs, Jeeps, Porsches … People are living their lives and other what’s happening on the front.”
Army Satisfied to See Soldier’s Return
Jewhen is educating with a lots various other Deserter Who have actually gone back to the military. Their Commander, “Whitey,” Has Empathy for his New Soldiers, Most of Whom He Says Had Good Reason for Temporarily Shirking Their Duties.
“Often replacements can’t be found, so Soldiers are stuck at the Front indefinitely, or they have to get home to deal with family issues,” Says the Commander, Adding That Soldiers Are Sometimes Erroneously Listed as Deserters after they have clinical therapy however Haven’t Returned to their Unit Within 48 Hours.
The Commander So Said that Deserter that return are significant regarding satisfying their responsibilities if they are dealt with like anymoreSoldier “Most Have Already Served and Seen Combat. They are Better Trained Than New Recruits. You’re MORE MOTOMATED. It’s EASIER TO WORK WITH TOM,” Heer Said.
New Recruits Were Assigned to Whitey’s Brigade Last Fall, When theRussian Stepped Up Their Push Toward Pokrovsk He Told DW as they were Poorly Trained and Lacked Fighting Spirit.
Many deserted their articles, he Says, however the circumstance has actually boosted over the last Three Months as even more Soldiers Return toDuty
Unresolved issue for Ukrainian Army
“The acts they have commed case under the criminal code, but that does not mean they are bad Soldiers,” Said Roman Horodezkyi, to Officer Responsible for Psychological Support in the 68th Jaeger Brigade, which is posted on thePokrovsk Front Horodezkyi Said About 30% of Soldiers Return to Duty After Deserting, and Half of Those Return to Their Original Unit.
Horodezkyi Believes that the Army Has Done A Good Job Dealing with Returning Soldiers, It is Still Failing to Address The Root Causes ofMass Desertion “The main problem is physical and psychological ex -house, but right now it is impossible to change that,” Heer Said.
‘Was like a medicine’
A 42-Year-Old Military Man Going by the Name of”Milka” What Among Those Returning He Didn’t Care to Say Why He Went Awol, just that it really did not Happen on the Front however much behind, where he had actually sent out after beig injured.
“Why am I Going Back? How Can I Explain It? War is like a drug. If you’ve been to war Before, you are Drawn to Return,” Says Milka “It’s not like you need the explosions, not at all. I don’t know how to explain it.”
Milka Has Been Assigned to the 68th, where he will certainly be Tasked with trainingSoldiers Heys his very own personality Impovered Greatly which he’s “arbitration” after the moment invested in the house.
“I’m not Even Thinking About Vacation,” Hey Says “Still, what i’d Really love to do is just strip off this uniform, pour gasoline on it and burn it. Then I’m put on a track suit, take my children by the hand, and go for a walk. That’s what i dream of.”
This short article was initial released in Ukrainian
