By Smartencyclopedia with Agencies
KYIV, Ukraine—On the front lines of Ukraine’s relentless battle against Russian forces, the Ukrainian military is facing a growing crisis of morale and desertion. Commanders report that exhaustion, insufficient reinforcements, and the psychological toll of war are taking a devastating toll on soldiers, particularly in eastern combat zones such as Pokrovsk.
One commander, identified as Dima, who led around 800 men through some of the fiercest battles, recently stepped down from the front lines. After losing the majority of his battalion to injury or death, he took a desk job in Kyiv, unable to bear the emotional burden of watching his soldiers fall. “I couldn’t handle watching my men die anymore,” Dima said, chain-smoking outside his office.
Dima’s story is one shared by many in Ukraine’s military. After two and a half years of Russia’s grueling offensive, Ukrainian forces, particularly infantry units on the eastern front, are struggling to hold off Russian advances. Reinforcements are scarce, and troops are worn down. Soldiers like Dima have seen the human cost of the conflict and are seeking reprieve from the constant fighting.
Desertion has become increasingly common. Of six commanders and officers interviewed, all confirmed that soldiers, especially new recruits, are abandoning their posts or refusing to return to the front lines after surviving just one encounter. These soldiers, conscripted under Ukraine’s new mobilization laws, often have no choice in joining the military and cannot leave until the government announces demobilization.
“Many new recruits come to the front lines and see the situation—the drones, the artillery, the lack of reinforcements—and they don’t come back,” one commander from Pokrovsk told CNN, on the condition of anonymity.
Morale issues have been building for months. Last winter and spring, Ukrainian forces suffered a critical ammunition shortage, leaving troops in positions where they could see approaching Russian forces but lacked the artillery rounds to defend themselves. Soldiers were left to endure the psychological strain of knowing they could have made a difference had they been properly supplied.
“It’s long hours in a dugout, hearing the enemy approach and knowing that if we had fired, it wouldn’t have happened,” said Andryi Horetskyi, a Ukrainian officer currently stationed in Chasiv Yar.
By the first quarter of 2024, the Ukrainian parliament reported over 19,000 criminal proceedings for desertion or abandonment of posts, though commanders believe the true number may be even higher. Many officers prefer not to report desertions, hoping instead to convince soldiers to return voluntarily.
To address the issue, Ukraine recently adjusted its laws to decriminalize desertion and unauthorized absence for first-time offenders. Horetskyi noted that punishing soldiers would likely worsen the problem, saying, “A smart commander will delay threats, or even avoid them.”
Pokrovsk, a critical supply and military hub in the east, has become a focal point in Ukraine’s struggle against Russian advances. With Russian President Vladimir Putin’s stated goal of seizing the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, capturing Pokrovsk would be a major strategic gain for Moscow.
However, Kyiv’s military is not just battling Russian forces; poor communication between units has further complicated Ukraine’s defense. Commanders report instances of troops failing to disclose critical battlefield information to neighboring units out of fear of appearing weak. One battalion commander in northern Donetsk said that after soldiers from a neighboring unit abandoned their positions without notifying others, his flank was left exposed to Russian attacks.
The psychological toll on Ukrainian forces is immense. A group of combat engineers, or sappers, recently redeployed from Pokrovsk to the Russian border, expressed confusion about the direction of the war effort. Having fought for more than two and a half years, they voiced their frustration at being sent on a surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region while the eastern front remains in disarray.
“It felt strange entering Russia because we’re supposed to defend our own country, not fight on the other side,” one sapper said.
Despite the strain, Ukraine’s leadership is taking steps to address the morale crisis. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi acknowledged the issue and emphasized that lifting soldiers’ spirits is now a crucial aspect of his role. He regularly visits the front lines, striving to connect with soldiers and provide encouragement.
Psychological support units, like the one led by Horetskyi, are now being deployed more frequently. His team’s goal is to provide respite from the daily grind of war, offering simple comforts like a shower or a haircut, small gestures that can help soldiers regain a sense of normalcy.
As Ukraine’s eastern defenses continue to crumble under Russian pressure, Dima, like many others, remains caught in the emotional struggle of war. Though he has taken a step back from direct combat, he plans to return eventually—albeit with a hardened outlook. “I’ll stop getting attached to people emotionally,” he said. “It’s a rotten approach, but it’s the most sensible one.”