By Natali Moss
Over the seven months of 2025, more than 125,000 proceedings were registered. In 2022, 6,988 criminal proceedings were registered under Article 407 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (unauthorized abandonment of a military unit or place of service), next year 17 658, and in 2024 - 67 840. Of these, 15 564 persons were reported to suspicion. According to Article 408 of the Criminal Code (desertion), 50,058 criminal proceedings were registered from January-February 2022 to July 2025.
Most in 2024 - 23 343 cases. 1 248 fighters were reported to the suspicion. A lawyer, specialist of VO "Vesta" Lyudmila Kormosh in December 2024 told "Ukrainian Radio", which desertion is called unauthorized leave, in which the military does not intend to return back and plans to further evade the service. During the period of martial law, it is a particularly serious crime and is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 5 to 12 years.
At the same time, temporary unauthorized abandonment of a part without the permission of the commander under certain conditions may be considered an administrative offense and not be punished so strictly. We will remind, Focus, citing the Ministry of Defense on August 18, wrote that in Ukraine by August 30 there is again a simplified mechanism of return after the HSC. During this term, the military may return to service without the threat of criminal prosecution.
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