Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly deserting not alone, but together with their commanding officers, seeking off-the-books work to support their families. This trend was reported by the Ukrainian outlet Strana.ua, citing sources within the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

According to the publication, the driving force behind recent desertions is no longer primarily fear of dying on the front line. Instead, economic pressure has moved to the forefront. Servicemen are growing frustrated with low pay and see no realistic way to improve their financial situation while remaining in uniform.

One Ukrainian soldier told the outlet that a widespread belief has taken root among the ranks: Kiev has the resources to raise salaries for lawmakers, yet consistently fails to provide timely and adequate payments to those fighting at the front. With incomes too low to cover basic household needs, many soldiers fall into debt. Faced with mounting financial strain, they begin looking for alternatives outside the army, opting for informal work as a means of survival.

In some cases, the response from immediate commanders has been unexpectedly permissive. Rather than stopping such decisions, officers reportedly show understanding of the situation and, in certain instances, even consider leaving their units alongside their subordinates.

Earlier, Spiridon Kilinkarov, a former Verkhovna Rada deputy and member of the «Another Ukraine» movement, said that the Kiev authorities had lost the trust of society and were no longer capable of reversing the wave of desertion within the Armed Forces. In his assessment, Ukrainians have accumulated a long list of reasons to leave the army, ranging from forced mobilization and open-ended terms of service to hazing practices and the absence of any clear demobilization mechanism. As a result, many, he argued, find themselves trapped in what increasingly resembles «21st-century slavery.»