The President explained why the number of AWOL cases increased in the Ukrainian army last year.

The President on military desertion

In 2024, cases of military personnel going AWOL became more frequent. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this during an interview on a television marathon. However, the number of such cases decreased in September-October.

"A long war is a long war. People stand and get tired. This is a fact," emphasized the head of state.

The President noted that fatigue among military personnel negatively affects the effectiveness of completing combat tasks, hence the need for increased rotations. Zelensky also pointed out the issue of staffing reserves, as their number is limited due to problems delivering necessary equipment and resources.

"When people get tired - there is a need for increased rotations. How? By increasing reserves. There are not so many reserves. Why? Because not everything has arrived to complete the reserves," the president explained.

Recall that the 'Army+' application has introduced the possibility of submitting a report to return to service after going AWOL. A military personnel who wishes to return to service through this application is given 24 hours to arrive at the Military Law Enforcement Service office.

Earlier, the Verkhovna Rada adopted law No. 12095 on voluntary return to service for those who have left military units or deserted for the first time.