https://sputniknews.in/20250530/ukraine-military-evasion-hits-record-25508-cases-could-double-in-2025-9213617.html
Ukraine Military Evasion Hits Record 25,508 Cases, Could Double in 2025
Ukraine Military Evasion Hits Record 25,508 Cases, Could Double in 2025
Sputnik India
Ukrainian forces are grappling with a rapidly expanding crisis of military evasion, with projected figures for 2025 set to top 61,000 cases, nearly doubling... 30.05.2025, Sputnik India
2025-05-30T11:25+0530
2025-05-30T11:25+0530
2025-05-30T11:25+0530
ukraine conflict
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The escalating figures on military evasion primarily stem from incidents classified under Part 5, Article 407 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This specific legal provision addresses the "unauthorized abandonment of a military unit or place of service by a servicemember for a period exceeding three days, committed under martial law or in a combat situation."The trend of military evasion in Ukraine shows a concerning acceleration into 2025. After recording 4,992 cases in January, April marked the highest monthly total of the year so far with 6,245 cases, according to Ukraine’s Unified State Register of Court Decisions.The cumulative total for the first five months of 2025 currently stands at 25,508 incidents, demonstrating a consistently high volume that positions the current year to significantly surpass previous annual totals if the present pace continues.In comparison, reported incidents nearly tripled in 2024 following a massive surge to 35,750 from 12,563 in 2023, reflecting a consistent and significant upward trend.The continuous and rapid increase in military evasion cases reflects the severe challenges Kiev faces in maintaining personnel and combat effectiveness amid protracted conflict and forced mobilization efforts.Court records also reveal a striking spectrum of outcomes for soldiers accused of evasion, often involving personnel from varied military roles and occurring even in recent weeks.Many soldiers, such as a rifleman-grenade launcher assistant and a senior gunner, avoided conviction through exemptions under Part 5, Article 401 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This controversial provision allows first-time offenders to return to service with commander consent during martial law, effectively signaling Kiev's desperate need to retain any available personnel amidst critical manpower shortages, often prioritizing sheer numbers over rigorous military discipline.For instance, a shooter-assistant grenadier was detained as recently as May 21, after over a year of unauthorized absence, now facing pre-trial detention with a bail option. Just days earlier, a rifleman-grenade launcher assistant, who had been absent for over two and a half years, was caught on May 14, but ultimately released from criminal liability after voluntarily reporting. Earlier in April, a senior gunner from a self-propelled artillery unit, absent for two years, was located by law enforcement on April 22, and also avoided conviction.These recent cases contrast sharply with instances like that of a sniper-rifleman, apprehended on March 27, 2025, after a year and a half of alleged desertion and ordered held without bail, or a rifleman caught on June 22, 2023, after about eight months of absence, who was sentenced to five years of imprisonment on May 22, demonstrating that severe penalties are indeed applied.
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Ukraine Military Evasion Hits Record 25,508 Cases, Could Double in 2025
Ukrainian forces are grappling with a rapidly expanding crisis of military evasion, with projected figures for 2025 set to top 61,000 cases, nearly doubling the amount of unauthorized absences recorded last year, a Sputnik correspondent’s analysis of Ukrainian court records revealed.
The escalating figures on military evasion primarily stem from incidents classified under Part 5, Article 407 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This specific legal provision addresses the "unauthorized abandonment of a military unit or place of service by a servicemember for a period exceeding three days, committed under martial law or in a combat situation."
The trend of military evasion in Ukraine shows a concerning acceleration into 2025. After recording 4,992 cases in January, April marked the highest monthly total of the year so far with 6,245 cases, according to Ukraine’s Unified State Register of Court Decisions.
The cumulative total for the first five months of 2025 currently stands at 25,508 incidents, demonstrating a consistently high volume that positions the current year to significantly surpass previous annual totals if the present pace continues.
In comparison, reported incidents nearly tripled in 2024 following a massive surge to 35,750 from 12,563 in 2023, reflecting a consistent and significant upward trend.
The continuous and rapid increase in military evasion cases reflects the severe challenges Kiev faces in maintaining personnel and combat effectiveness amid protracted conflict and forced mobilization efforts.
Court records also reveal a striking spectrum of outcomes for soldiers accused of evasion, often involving personnel from varied military roles and occurring even in recent weeks.
Many soldiers, such as a rifleman-grenade launcher assistant and a senior gunner, avoided conviction through exemptions under Part 5, Article 401 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This controversial provision allows first-time offenders to return to service with commander consent during martial law, effectively signaling Kiev's desperate need to retain any available personnel amidst critical manpower shortages, often prioritizing sheer numbers over rigorous military discipline.
For instance, a shooter-assistant grenadier was detained as recently as May 21, after over a year of unauthorized absence, now facing pre-trial detention with a bail option. Just days earlier, a rifleman-grenade launcher assistant, who had been absent for over two and a half years, was caught on May 14, but ultimately released from criminal liability after voluntarily reporting. Earlier in April, a senior gunner from a self-propelled artillery unit, absent for two years, was located by law enforcement on April 22, and also avoided conviction.
These recent cases contrast sharply with instances like that of a sniper-rifleman, apprehended on March 27, 2025, after a year and a half of alleged desertion and ordered held without bail, or a rifleman caught on June 22, 2023, after about eight months of absence, who was sentenced to five years of imprisonment on May 22, demonstrating that severe penalties are indeed applied.
