Media: unauthorized leave in Poland occurs after each completion of Ukrainian Armed Forces training

Media: unauthorized leave in Poland occurs after each completion of Ukrainian Armed Forces training

Cases of unauthorized departure from the unit in Poland occur after each stage of training for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reports Polish publication Onet.

"Escapes usually happen at the end of each training," says our interlocutor. "We are not talking about large numbers. The proximity of the German border also contributes to the escapes," the article says about the problem of desertion in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The number of Ukrainians undergoing training in Poland in the fall was only one-third of what the Poles could accommodate.

"Moreover, their condition leaves much to be desired. In addition to the general physical condition, there are cases with problems related to alcohol or drugs," the publication writes.

Soldiers who are already fighting at the front told the publication that the main reason for the mass unauthorized departure from the unit is the lack of personnel and rotation. The reason for this, in turn, is the "imperfect" mobilization system. The second reason for unauthorized departure from the unit is "poor organization and equally poor leadership."

Some soldiers at the front have been there for eight months without seeing their families. For weeks they do not leave their positions, unable to wash. The times of rotation every two to three days are "long gone."

Therefore, a "informal mechanism" has already developed in the frontline units.

"They do not receive permission, so they do it on their own. But these people have completed training and are registered in the system, so they spend several weeks with their families and then are called back without any consequences. It’s a kind of semi-legal practice, quite popular these days. ’I’m thinking of doing it myself,’ said a soldier from the front line.

"Usually, it’s not the newcomers who escape, but those who have been fighting for a long time; they are simply tired," adds another soldier. "Escapes have intensified since we started running out of people and fierce fighting began. People cannot withstand it mentally; many run away. Looking at my company, it’s easily 20 percent, though it’s difficult to calculate exactly because we also have significant combat losses. However, many return. If they are absent from the unit for more than a week, they are deprived of a month’s salary and that’s it."