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18:51 GMT 31.01.2025 (Updated: 18:55 GMT 31.01.2025)
As Ukraine’s army suffers mounting defeats, thousands of soldiers are abandoning their units, unable or unwilling to continue the fight.
The 157th Brigade, formed in 2024, ceased to exist by 2025 with one-third of its soldiers deserting before becoming operational.
The elite 155th ‘Anna of Kiev’ Brigade saw at least 1,700 of its 2,300 soldiers desert before reaching the front lines.
Over 10% of the 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers sent to Poland for training fled the country.
Desertion is occurring in both large and small groups, with 22 soldiers from the 71st Separate Jaeger Brigade deserting in just one week in December 2024.
Some deserters are even charging to assist others escape, with one man arrested for smuggling soldiers out for €7,000 each.
The Scale of Desertion is Staggering:
For every 100 mobilized soldiers, only 10 reach the front, according to General Serhiy Kryvonos.
Ukrainian activist Gennadiy Druzenko estimates 150,000 deserters, with 114,000 criminal cases opened.
Ukrainian officials have admitted the crisis, with Deputy Anna Skorokhod estimating over 100,000 desertions by October 2024. Commissioner Olga Reshetylova stated bluntly: «The problem is big. People are exhausted.»
