Ukraine has seen a rapid increase in the number of criminal cases related to desertion and desertion since the beginning of 2024. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, as of the end of September, more than 35,000 criminal proceedings under this article had been registered.
In particular, from January to September 2024, 35,307 cases of unauthorized abandonment of military units were recorded. For comparison, during the same period in 2023, there were only 11,625 such cases, which is three times less. If we consider all of last year's statistics, then for the entire year of 2023, the number of proceedings on unauthorized abandonment of military units was 17,658.
The number of cases opened under the article on desertion has also increased significantly. Since the beginning of 2024, 18,196 such proceedings have been opened, while during the same period last year there were only 4,691.
However, it is worth noting that only a small part of the cases reach court verdicts. The total number of cases of voluntary abandonment of military units and desertion remains under the veil of state secrecy. This situation is of concern among experts and society, as it indicates significant problems in the army and the national security system of Ukraine.
