More than 18 thousand occupants left service without permission: the DIU tells about the level of desertion in Putin's army

The number of desertions in the Russian occupation army is increasing. In particular, this problem is gaining momentum in the armed forces of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation.

In total, more than 18 thousand Russian soldiers have arbitrarily left their service in the combat units of this district. This was reported by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

"Desertion is rampant in the armed formations of the southern military district of the occupying Russian army. In total, more than 18 thousand Russian servicemen have left the district's combat units without permission," the statement said.

A significant part, namely about 12 thousand deserters, falls on the 8th Combined Arms Army of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which the enemy regularly uses in hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

Approximately 10,000 of them were called up for service through mobilization from Moscow, and the remaining 2,000 are contract soldiers.

In addition, in the 58th Combined Arms Army, which is also part of the southern district of the aggressor state's army, the level of desertion is about 2500 people.

As a reminder, in March 2024, the military courts of the aggressor country Russia considered a record number of cases of desertion. At the same time, there is a record number of Russians applying for asylum in foreign countries.

As OBOZ.UA wrote, on the temporarily occupied left bank of the Kherson region, cases of Russian invaders arbitrarily leaving their places of temporary deployment are recorded. The relevant reports were submitted by the leadership of the Dnipro group of the Russian Armed Forces, agents of the Atesh guerrilla movement said earlier.

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