Ukraine hopes to coax back thousands of AWOL troops with their choice of commander and deployment area
Ukraine has launched a voluntary return program allowing AWOL soldiers to choose their preferred military units and roles to address severe manpower shortages. The initiative aims to incentivize the return of tens of thousands of absent troops by offering more agency over their deployment conditions.
Why it matters
The program highlights the critical personnel challenges facing the Ukrainian military and the innovative, albeit desperate, measures being taken to sustain the war effort against Russia.
Ukrainian soldiers drive in a military truck along a road in the Kharkiv region. Roman PILIPEY / AFP via Getty Images Ukraine's return program says it's letting AWOL troops choose from over 70 units for redeployment. The missing soldiers can indicate their preferences for where they want to serve and in what roles. It's an attempt to solve the hundreds of thousands of AWOL cases it's suffered since the war began. Ukraine is giving its missing troops a bonus for rejoining the war: The chance to choose their new area of deployment, commander, and job. Kyiv's defense ministry said on Friday that it would allow troops who are absent without leave, or AWOL , to choose from over 70 units across its three ground branches if they redeploy.
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