The Chief of the General Staff explained how Ukraine will solve the problem of AWOL.

The number of cases of unauthorized leave by military personnel may decrease due to the extension of the duration of basic military training, said the Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Anatoliy Barhylevych.

Unauthorized leave from units is a problem, and we are searching for more effective methods to combat it, he said. The reason for unauthorized leave is psychological problems. People with different levels of preparedness come to the army: some are confident, while others are less psychologically prepared.

According to Barhylevych, introducing a longer basic training period from one month to one and a half months will allow people to better adapt and adequately prepare for the tasks assigned.

Extending the training period is one of the elements that will affect the reduction of cases of unauthorized leave by military personnel.

As a reminder, the Verkhovna Rada has passed a law on voluntary return to service for those who have previously gone AWOL from military units or deserted.

Earlier, there was a noted increase in cases of unauthorized leave by military personnel, desertions, and failure to follow orders from commanders.

One of the servicemen from the Mariupol brigade, Serhiy Hnezdilov, also draws attention to the absence of established service terms in the military and the obligation of citizens to defend the state.