Decimated, Ukraine army faces high rate of desertions
A record number of desertions has hit the Ukrainian army as Russian forces regain ground in the Kursk region.
Between January and October 2024, there were more desertions than in the entire conflict to date, with 60,000 cases opened during this period—double the number recorded in 2022 and 2023 combined.
According to figures from the Prosecutor General’s office, over 100,000 men have been accused of deserting the battlefield. However, the prosecutor has suggested offering deserters a second chance if they return to fight.
Ukraine, like Russia, is struggling to recruit. The United States has reportedly advised Kyiv to lower the minimum conscription age to 18 to offset the heavy losses sustained over nearly three years of conflict.
However, Dmytro Lytvyn, a communications adviser to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, argued that such a move would make little sense.
He wrote on social media: "[It's] resumably in order to draft more people, when we can see that previously announced equipment is not arriving on time. Because of these delays, Ukraine lacks weapons to equip already mobilised soldiers."
(QG - Daily Express / Picture: © Unsplash)