From November 2024 to July 2025, over 25,000 soldiers and officers of the Central Military District of Russia, one of the five districts of the occupation army, have deserted their units on their own. This is reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, writes 'Glavkom'.
Desertions take various forms: some soldiers leave their positions directly on the battlefield, others disappear from their permanent deployment locations, while some fail to return from treatment or vacations. There have also been cases of desertion along with weapons and military equipment. In 2024-2025 alone, over 30 such incidents have been recorded.
The main reasons for desertion include poor service conditions, particularly the prevalence of 'dedovshchina', a catastrophic lack of supplies, and mass dispatches to so-called 'meat' assaults. Additionally, internal reports from occupation forces often cite the category of 'failure to comply with orders' as a reason for deaths.
“In the past year, over 30 such cases have been documented, which effectively indicates a systematic practice of shooting Russian soldiers who refuse to go to slaughter for Kremlin ambitions.”
Moreover, in the temporarily occupied Kherson region, 12 Russian soldiers have deserted their forward positions and fled in an unknown direction. The Russians left behind numerous weapons, military uniforms, and personal belongings.
The events that have occurred in the Russian army indicate serious problems in the military structure. The desertions of military personnel are driven by poor living conditions, lack of supplies, and incompetent military actions. This situation could significantly undermine the combat potential of the Russian forces and pose a danger to the Ukrainian army.