Kiev’s troops are abandoning their posts due to internal disarray and Russia’s battlefield advantage, the outlet has reported
The Ukrainian military is grappling with a significant desertion crisis which could worsen if the conflict with Russia continues, The Guardian reported on Friday. The issue has recently garnered international attention following reports of mass desertions from a French-trained Ukrainian brigade.
The Guardian interviewed two Ukrainian soldiers who had abandoned their posts, citing disorganization within the army and the overwhelming strength of Russian forces. One of them described chaotic command structures and a lack of essential supplies, while the other highlighted the psychological toll of facing a well-equipped adversary.
There is a pervasive fear among potential recruits, a stereotype that “if you join up, you will be dead in five minutes,” Andrey Grebenuyk, the sergeant major of an infantry battalion, told the publication.
The 155th Mechanized Brigade, trained in France, has faced scrutiny due to reports of mass desertions and internal mismanagement. Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation launched a probe into the allegations last week.
In response to the recruitment shortfall, the Ukrainian parliament is debating measures to attract more recruits. Reforms are being finalized to encourage 18- to 25-year-olds, currently exempt from mobilization, to enlist voluntarily.
Ukraine’s commissioner for protecting service members’ rights, Olga Reshetilova, suggested to The Guardian that the recruitment crisis could be alleviated if Kiev’s allies deployed their own troops. European leaders have been discussing the potential deployment of a peacekeeping force to Ukraine, contingent upon an eventual ceasefire agreement with Russia. Earlier this month, during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky suggested that at least 200,000 allied troops might be necessary to secure a peace deal.
However, a NATO deployment could provoke a significant response from Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously cautioned against such an “extremely dangerous step,” warning that it could potentially lead to “a global catastrophe.” Putin has also dismissed the idea that Western troops could alter the situation on the battlefield.
Aleksey Zhuravlev, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma’s Defense Committee, stated last week that if the US-backed military bloc or an individual member country sends troops to Ukraine, Russia could announce a new stage of mobilization as it would see the move as direct aggression.
