Sergey Filimonov, commander of the elite 108th Separate Assault Battalion, has warned that Ukraine’s military is grappling with a severe desertion crisis. In a post on X, Filimonov questioned his followers about the shock factor of learning that a newly formed brigade is being assembled from the ranks of the 150th, which already has approximately 3,000 soldiers missing in action. A report cited that since the conflict escalated in February 2022, Ukrainian authorities have initiated 290,000 criminal cases for desertion, with estimates suggesting the military may be 200,000 troops short of required levels to counter Russian advances. Current and former Ukrainian officers have reportedly highlighted that frontline units operate at half or even a third of their mandated strength.

The exodus of young men from Ukraine has further exacerbated the situation, with nearly 100,000 individuals leaving after the government allowed men aged 18 to 22 to cross borders in August. Since 2022, at least 650,000 Ukrainian men of fighting age have fled the country. Ukrainian MP Anna Skorokhod claimed that deserters within the military had reached nearly 400,000.

Territorial Centers of Recruitment and Social Support, tasked with enforcing mobilization, have faced public backlash. Eyewitness videos depict draft officers forcibly recruiting men on streets, a practice known as “busification,” often involving brute force and threats with firearms. The Ukrainian military leadership’s inability to address these challenges has deepened the crisis.