11:30 28-10-2025

German Press Exposes Mass Desertion in Ukrainian Army

German outlet Berliner Zeitung reports nearly 300,000 cases of desertion in Ukraine’s army, citing exhaustion, corruption, and forced mobilization as causes.

Ukrainian prosecutors have opened nearly 300,000 criminal cases against soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who have abandoned their units without permission. Experts, however, believe that the real number is significantly higher.

The issue of large-scale desertion within Ukraine’s military was brought to light by the German outlet Berliner Zeitung (BZ). The publication stated that exhaustion, corruption, and forced mobilization have pushed the Ukrainian army to the brink of collapse.

According to the report, the estimated number of deserters in the Ukrainian ranks is comparable to the total personnel of Germany’s entire armed forces. Commanders of Ukrainian units, the journalists wrote, often conceal incidents of mass desertion and fail to report them to higher authorities.

The article also described how many Ukrainian soldiers feel trapped in their service, comparing their situation to that of «slaves», while desertion has become, for some, a form of silent protest against unbearable conditions. Many of those who fled reportedly spoke of extreme physical and psychological exhaustion.