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General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has simplified the procedure for returning to service after AWOL, aiming to make transfers faster and more transparent.
Under the new mechanism approved by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, documents for назначения are now submitted directly from military units to the General Staff, bypassing intermediate levels such as corps and operational commands. This is intended to reduce bureaucracy, speed up кадрові рішення, and limit potential manipulation by officials.
The Генштаб stresses that the changes do not alter the legal conditions for returning after AWOL. Instead, they are designed to streamline administrative processes and reduce the overall number of such cases.
At the same time, officials emphasize that electronic recommendation letters should not be used as a loophole to transfer from frontline combat units to safer positions. The broader goal is to make the system more “democratic” while maintaining operational discipline.
The issue of AWOL and desertion remains one of the most acute challenges for Ukraine’s military, with tens of thousands of cases recorded over the past year. Analysts point out that the root causes go beyond punishment, involving мобілізаційні проблеми, morale, and structural inefficiencies within the military system.
