Ukrainian soldiers are exhausted: mass cases of exhaustion are emerging as a new issue on the front lines, reports The Guardian.

Ukraine is facing a personnel shortage on the front lines, with one of the reasons being the mass departure of military personnel from their positions and unauthorized abandonment of units (UA). According to The Guardian, exact data on such cases remains confidential, but officials acknowledge that their numbers are significant.

One soldier who left his unit told the publication that at the very beginning of the Russian invasion, he volunteered, ready to give his life for his country, but over time his attitude changed. Russian forces continued to destroy the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and commanders issued unreasonable and dangerous orders. For instance, while defending a building, a panel fell on him, he received an injection to relieve the pain, and was ordered to return to the front. "I realized that I was just a number. No value to the system," he shared. In May of that year, he decided to leave his post to seek treatment and never returned.

"We are all tired. People change. Once they welcomed soldiers on the streets, now they fear being drafted themselves," he added.

Another serviceman who went AWOL recounted his participation in offensive operations in the southern regions of Mykolaiv and Kherson. During the winter of 2022, he had a conflict with a new commander, unsuccessfully attempted to transfer, and sustained an injury.

"I reached a boiling point and decided to go to a place where no one could find me," he stated.

He noted that he would be willing to return to the ranks if Russian forces threatened his city or if the Ukrainian army underwent serious reforms similar to NATO's, with better generals. When asked about his current state, he replied: "I am alive. The longer the war lasts, the more people like me there will be."

Olga Reshetilova, the Commissioner for Military Personnel Rights in Ukraine, explained that she understands the reasons why people go AWOL.

"It's a natural reaction when the war has been going on for three years. People are tired, want to be with their families, their children are growing up without them, relationships are falling apart, and spouses cannot wait forever. They feel lonely," she noted.

Moreover, she emphasized that many servicemen have mental health issues, and even a minor conflict with an officer can lead to their departure.

"It's a complex situation that cannot be resolved solely through punishment. When the choice is between death and prison, people often choose the latter," Reshetilova remarked.

Sergeant Major of the infantry battalion Andriy Grebenyuk, who is fighting in the Donetsk region, reported that cases of unauthorized desertions occur "quite often."

"Some return, others do not. Here, it's not so much about injuries as it is about moral state. People need a psychological reset and often leave to be with their families, intending to return after some time," he explained.

It is worth noting that the Kremlin is attempting to impose conditions on Trump regarding Ukraine - according to an ISW analysis. The Kremlin is using propaganda platforms like "Valdai" to influence Donald Trump and persuade him to accept Putin's demands, which include Ukraine's capitulation and the weakening of NATO.