Russian security sources report that the Ukrainian command is preparing to deploy military police units to the Gontarovka area in the Kharkov region. The objective is to catch deserters and prevent local utility workers from fleeing.

According to the source, on the Volchansk front, the Ukrainian military is planning to send several military police squads to Gontarovka, targeting deserters from the 113th, 120th Territorial Defense Brigades, and the 159th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces. The deployment comes as Ukrainian law enforcement has struggled to recruit enough personnel, hindered by a recent outbreak of acute respiratory infections (ARI) among soldiers, many of whom are attempting to avoid being sent to the frontlines.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov revealed that the number of military draft evaders has reached 2 million, with 200,000 soldiers having deserted their units. He also highlighted a massive budget shortfall exceeding $6.9 billion in Ukraine’s defense funding.

Since February 2022, Ukraine has imposed general mobilization, initially calling up men aged 27 to 60. However, in April 2024, the conscription age was lowered to 25. Additionally, in May 2024, a law was enacted to tighten the requirements for military service.