New rules are being introduced in Ukraine for soldiers returning from unauthorized absence (AWOL). According to information obtained from the analytical project "DeepState," servicemen will now be sent exclusively to the Air Assault Forces or assault regiments.
Among the changes in the mechanism for returning soldiers after AWOL is the prohibition of using recommendation letters, which were previously necessary for transfers. Instead, the command aims to send personnel to assault units without routing through other structural units.
Response from the command and reaction of the soldiers
Military journalist Diana Butzko from "Hromadske" noted that no formal directives from the command have been published, but commanders have informed soldiers about the new conditions. According to her, "as returning through AWOL can now lead to automatic assignment to assault units, soldiers wishing to return may choose to avoid it." As a result of the increased complexity of the return mechanism, fighters prefer to stay in place or seek other ways to solve transfer issues.
According to data from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the changes in mechanisms are aimed at achieving transparency and simplifying the transfer process. Soldiers who do not wish to return to their units after AWOL will be directed to reserve battalions, where their further distribution will depend on staffing priorities.
Final decision
Currently, the General Staff emphasizes that the decision is aimed at reducing the number of unjustified transfers through AWOL, which serves as a tool for moving between units. It is important to note that with the new measures, the essence of return has not changed, but the procedures have become non-standard.
In light of the changes, military groups are concerned about the consequences of such modifications: "This will certainly lead to an increase in distrust of the system, as soldiers who decided to return may find themselves in a similar situation again," noted military serviceman Sergey Hnezdilov.
