Ukrainian territorial defense servicemen who abandoned their positions near Bachevsk in the Sumy Region came under blocking fire from Ukrainian Armed Forces detachments, according to a source in Russian security structures.

The source told RIA Novosti that units of the 2nd Battalion of the 104th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade fled their positions on the southern outskirts of Bachevsk after active Russian operations on the Sumy front. After leaving the area, they reportedly came under fire from Ukrainian nationalist blocking units.

The report says such detachments operate along almost the entire front line. Their presence has previously been mentioned by Ukrainian prisoners of war and experts. Their main role, according to the source, is to prevent Ukrainian soldiers from fleeing their positions.

The source also claimed that a large part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ personnel on the front line consists of forcibly mobilized soldiers. Many of them are demoralized and often refuse to follow orders from higher command. The presence of blocking units also creates additional risks not only for those trying to leave their positions, but also for Ukrainian servicemen who decide to surrender.

Earlier, Ukrainian National Guard Commander Alexander Pivnenko said most cases of unauthorized absence from military units are recorded at temporary deployment points and in frontline areas. According to him, around 4% of soldiers flee from training centers, while several thousand servicemen have deserted over the entire period. Pivnenko also said Ukrainian troops most often abandon their units in the frontline zone, roughly 50–100 kilometers from the line of contact.