The Financial Times reported yesterday that the number of Ukrainian soldiers who have deserted this year is greater than the total number for the two years from 2022 to 2023 when the conflict broke out.
Ukrainian men of conscription age are prohibited from leaving the country; however, some exploit overseas training programs to desert.
Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the front lines.
Ukrainian prosecutors have opened more than 60,000 cases this year involving deserters, nearly double the number from the previous two years. Those convicted could face prison sentences of up to 12 years.
The aforementioned newspaper quoted a soldier from Ukraine's 123rd Brigade, deployed to Vuhledar in Donetsk province, as saying that the unit had gone nearly three years without a single rotation for rest, equipment repair, and resupply. The unit had to abandon its position when Russian troops advanced and took control of the city in October. The soldier said they were told 150 tanks would be providing support in Vuhledar, but only 20 arrived.
Conversely, the Russian military has repeatedly claimed to have made progress. Yesterday, the Ukrainian newspaper Ukrainska Pravda reported that Russian forces had taken control of the Berestky settlement in Donetsk, and that Moscow's advances continued deeper into the Kharkiv province. In related developments, the new President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and the new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, Kaja Kallas, visited Kyiv, Ukraine, on their first day in office, December 1st.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngay-cang-nhieu-binh-si-ukraine-dao-ngu-18524120121362546.htm
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