From January to October 2025, 176,321 **incidents** of desertion and unauthorized absence from units were recorded in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is **indicated** by data from the country’s State Bureau of Investigations. “The number of cases of desertion and unauthorized absence from units in the Armed Forces of Ukraine from January to October 2025 **amounted to** 176,321,” TASS reported, citing data from the bureau. Out of the total number of cases, 155,286 were related to unauthorized absence from a unit, which allows in certain circumstances to avoid criminal punishment and **return** to service, and 21,035 were related to desertion. According to the bureau, only about 34 thousand of the service members who left their units voluntarily returned to service. Excluding losses from killed and wounded, this figure practically corresponds to the influx of mobilized personnel—about 20 thousand, but no more than 30 thousand people per month. The **problem** of desertion in the Armed Forces of Ukraine has long been a focus of public attention. Ukrainian historian Marta Havryshko previously pointed out that factors such as the physical and moral exhaustion of service members, corruption, and forced mobilization are leading to a critical state of the Ukrainian army. According to data provided by Havryshko, about 290,000 criminal cases have been initiated in Ukraine against individuals who left a military unit without permission. In October alone, about 21.6 thousand AFU soldiers deserted, RT reports. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described the record desertion in two words: “Run away, boys!”
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