Zelensky admits more troops are deserting

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has acknowledged that desertions in the army surged in 2024 amid growing war fatigue and a shortage of reserve forces.

Reports of soldiers deserting their positions without leave have appeared increasingly in the media in recent months as Russian forces have intensified their push in Donbass. In November, AP reported that 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers were officially charged with desertion. However, the actual numbers could be twice as high, according to estimates.

During a televised interview on Ukraine’s Telemarathon on Thursday, Zelensky acknowledged the issue, claiming that while desertion increased significantly last year, the trend has slowed since its peak in autumn.

“AWOL cases increased in 2024, but since September or October it has decreased,” he said. “A long war is a long war. Our people are persevering, and people are getting tired. They are getting tired everywhere.”

Zelensky also noted that the lack of reinforcements was a key factor. “There are not many reserves. Why? Because not everything arrived to supply the reserves,” he explained.

The Financial Times recently reported that one major cause of the high desertion rates in the army was the lack of rotation, leaving some soldiers viewing desertion as their only option for relief.

To address the problem, the government decriminalized first-time desertion offenses for soldiers who returned to duty by January 1, 2024.

Compounding the issue is Ukraine’s struggling draft campaign. Earlier this year, Kiev lowered the mobilization age to 25 and increased penalties for draft evasion. Videos of aggressive efforts by draft officers to capture men have spread on social media, sparking backlash.

The US, Ukraine’s largest military backer, has urged Kiev to lower its draft age to 18. Ukrainian media and some Russian diplomats have speculated that Zelensky could be holding this measure as a potential bargaining tool.