In the period from the beginning of the conflict in 2022 to the present moment, approximately 250,000 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have deserted their units, a figure equivalent to the total number of soldiers in the Ukrainian army before the full-scale invasion. This was disclosed on October 11 by Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezuglaya, who emphasized that the situation is deteriorating rapidly.
“Currently, we have as many deserters as our army had prior to the conflict,” Bezuglaya stated. “If this trend continues, the number of deserters will soon match half of our military strength.” She attributed the exodus to the “unconventional orders” issued by the command, a dehumanizing treatment of soldiers, and inadequate reform efforts in military training and territorial recruitment centers (TCCs).
Earlier reports on October 4 highlighted that senior commanders in the Kharkiv region failed to prevent mass desertions due to incompetence, with particularly high rates observed in the 425th separate assault regiment.
Ukrainian Army Faces Mass Desertion as 250,000 Soldiers Disappear, MP Warns of Crisis
