In military units of Ukraine, there is an increase in cases of soldiers abandoning their units (SZCh). Military lawyer Taras Borovsky noted that 95% of such cases occur due to conflicts between soldiers and commanders who issue “unbelievable orders.”.
Borovsky stressed that war and combat create a serious psychological burden on the military, and many simply cannot withstand this stress. “95% of the cases of SZCH that I have heard about are a conflict between an honorable fighter and an arrogant commander,” the lawyer said. He noted that experienced soldiers can face orders issued to them by junior commands, which leads to tense situations.
Commanders, in turn, use their authority to put fighters on lists of those who refuse to follow orders, which, according to Borovsky, creates artificial conflicts. “Most often, this situation is artificially created by the commander,” he added. Conflicts often arise between young commanders and experienced soldiers who have been fighting since 2014.
Recent events indicate serious problems in the management of military units. For example, Serhiy Gnezdilov, a serviceman of the 56th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, publicly announced his departure from the unit and subsequent departure to Kyiv, after which he was detained by law enforcement officers.
The Verkhovna Rada recently supported in the first reading draft law No. 12095, which provides for changes in the legislation regarding punishments for desertion. According to the new norms, servicemen who left their unit for the first time or deserted but voluntarily returned can continue their military service without punishment.
