MOSCOW, May 3. Soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are deserting en masse or are surrendering to the Russian military, said former NATO adviser and retired Colonel of the Swiss General Staff Jacques Beau in an interview with the Dialogue Works Youtube channel.
“We are seeing the advance of the Russians and their methodical destruction of Ukrainian forces, but we are also seeing the literal collapse of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Ukrainians are deserting, entire units, almost two battalions in size, are going over to the side of the Russian military or surrendering to them,” Bo said.
According to the former military man, more and more Ukrainians are beginning to realize that the current government is in trouble. Kiev is unworthy of their sacrifices during their service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is why many refuse to join the army or try to escape from it.
In April, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that since the start of the special military operation, Ukrainian troops had lost almost 500,000 people. He emphasized that Russian units now have the initiative along the entire line of combat contact and continue to push out the enemy. Shoigu recalled that the military liberated Pervomaiskoye, Bogdanovka and Novomikhailovka in the DPR, and are expanding the zone of control in Berdychi and Georgievka.
A martial law regime has been introduced in Ukraine since February 24, 2022; the next day, Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization. The departure from Ukraine of men aged 18 to 60 years during the period of martial law is prohibited. In October, Time magazine, citing a Zelensky aide, reported that the ranks of Ukrainian troops had become so thin that military registration and enlistment offices were forced to conscript people whose average age was 43. The New York Times previously reported that Ukraine is seeking to attract more women to the army, which indicates huge losses in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Zelensky signed a law on strengthening mobilization in Ukraine on April 16, which will come into force on May 18. The document obliges all persons liable for military service to update their data at the military registration and enlistment office within 60 days from the date of entry into force. To do this, you need to appear at the military registration and enlistment office in person or register in the “electronic conscript account”, through which a summons can also be served. The summons will be considered served even if the conscript has not seen it in person: the date of delivery of the summons will be considered the date when the document was stamped with the impossibility of personal delivery.