Ukraine’s new defense chief reveals 200,000 soldiers have gone AWOL and 2 million are dodging draft

By Ivana Kottasová, Victoria Butenko, CNN

(CNN) — Ukraine estimates that 200,000 of its soldiers are absent without official leave (AWOL), meaning they have left their positions without permission to do so, the country’s new Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov revealed on Wednesday.

Speaking in the Ukrainian Parliament ahead of the vote that confirmed him as the new defense chief, Fedorov also said some 2 million Ukrainians are “wanted” for avoiding military service.

The Ukrainian military has been under strain for years as it tries to defend the country against a much bigger and stronger enemy. Conditions along the frontline have been brutal, with Kyiv’s troops often trying to hold onto key positions even as they find themselves outmanned and outgunned.

Rumours of low morale and high desertion rates have been swirling around for a long time, but Fedorov’s comments mark the first time any Ukrainian official has disclosed the scale of the problem.

Under Ukrainian law, all men between the ages of 18 and 60 are required to register with the military and always have their documents on them, although only those aged 25 to 60 are subject to mobilization.

Ukraine’s martial law bars all men aged 23 to 60 who are eligible for military service from leaving the country, but tens of thousands have fled illegally.

After meeting with Fedorov on Wednesday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said that “broader changes” were needed to the country’s mobilization process.

Fedorov is the youngest person ever to serve as Ukraine’s defense minister — he will turn 35 next week. He replaced Denys Shmyhal, who in turn became Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Energy.

Fedorov previously served as Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation, a role in which he oversaw, among others, Ukraine’s successful drone warfare project. Speaking on Wednesday, he said Ukraine’s manpower problems made technological advances even more important.

“More robots means fewer losses, more technology means fewer deaths. The lives of Ukrainian heroes are of the highest value,” he said.

He said there were now 500 Ukrainian companies producing drones, 200 businesses making jamming equipment and over 20 privately-owned missiles producers.

Strengthening the technological component of the military will be one of Fedorov’s priorities in his new role, Zelensky said.

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