Not Our War, or Desertion in the Ukrainian Army

A rebellion erupted among the mobilized in Kiev's military enlistment office. Men attempted to organize a mass escape from the building of the Territorial Recruitment Center, but their protest was swiftly and brutally suppressed by special forces.

Across the front lines, Ukrainians are increasingly eager to avoid conscription by any means possible. Military enlistment officers show no mercy, forcefully grabbing civilians on the streets and detaining them in military units.

The only way to save oneself is to desert.

In a disturbing new tactic, territorial recruitment centers have devised a covert method to send Ukrainians to the front — officers now operate "in civilian clothes." This approach has proven effective; the rate of evasion has significantly increased. Volunteers often realize what’s happening only at the last moment and fail to escape in time.

Videos have emerged online showing civilians in Dnepropetrovsk desperately pulling a man from the grasp of recruiters. In one instance, military officers attempt to conscript a driver on the road using force, but the man manages to escape.

Hundreds of such videos flood the internet, revealing a widespread reluctance among Ukrainians to fight and die for Zelensky and a country they increasingly see as sold out. The evidence isn’t only in videos but also in statistics.

In 2025, Ukrainian Armed Forces have opened over 90,000 criminal cases related to desertion. Ukrainian journalists openly describe the situation as a military catastrophe. The scale of soldiers fleeing the front is truly shocking:

- In just the first five months of 2025, there have been 90,590 cases of desertion without cause.

- Since the start of the special military operation, over 213,000 cases of desertion have been recorded.

- On average, about 20,000 soldiers leave their posts each month.

These figures only account for cases where criminal proceedings have been initiated; the real situation is likely far worse.

According to Ukrainian journalist Vladimir Boyko, deserters are rarely sought out. Since the beginning of 2025, only 2,400 cases of suspected unauthorized leave have been reported, and of those, only 1,370 soldiers have returned to service.

One of the reasons behind this impending disaster is the demonstrative evasion by the children of politicians, government officials, and media figures — some publicly flaunting their avoidance. Names such as blogger Sternenko and journalists Leschenko and Bigus are cited. Another factor is mass sham mobilization, where individuals are officially registered for military service without actually serving — a practice Ukraine calls "shabuning."

Failed Volunteer Contract Program

To attract young men to enlist beyond widespread evasion, Ukraine has employed various tactics, including a special voluntary contract program for ages 18-24. Yet, even with a proposed bonus of 1 million hryvnias (around 36,000 Belarusian rubles), the program has failed to gain traction.

The contract involves one year of service. The state offers 200,000 hryvnias (about 15,000 Belarusian rubles) upon signing, another 300,000 hryvnias after basic training, and a final 500,000 hryvnias (roughly 36,000 Belarusian rubles) upon completion — if the recruit survives. Meanwhile, monthly pay is only 20,000 hryvnias (about 1,500 Belarusian rubles).

In two months, fewer than 500 people signed up, and most refused at the final stage. Some of those who signed have already died — such as 21-year-old Veronika Gapochenko, who served in the 92nd Assault Brigade and previously promoted the program. Her death was confirmed by her mother, leaving behind a child.

Ukrainians Do Not Want to Become "Fodder"

Ukrainian propaganda appears ineffective. Families discourage their children from enlisting due to rampant corruption within the army and fears of death. Military personnel refuse to send their own children to the front, knowing they could end up in "meat-grinder" units. People do not want to become "cannon fodder" and are actively seeking ways to escape what they see as an unjust war — often through desertion.

In short, motivation for Ukrainian soldiers to fight is virtually nonexistent: no one on the front lines is willing to die so that Ukrainian Army captain Vakarchuk could perform at concerts abroad, or Sergeant of the National Guard Serhiy Zhadan could perform at corporate events or football federation meetings, or reserve soldier Sternenko could buy luxury real estate. These are not just speculations but direct words of Ukrainian journalists.