Low Morale, Insubordination and Desertion – Ukrainian Crumbling Frontline Defenses in Donetsk

Low Morale, Insubordination and Desertion – Western Media Shines the Light on Ukrainian Crumbling Frontline Defenses in Donetsk

Paul Serran

In the third year of the war in Ukraine, the reporting by Western media has now broken the ‘Kiev line’ in which only good aspects could be highlighted – and now, reports with the dire reality of the front coexist with others that are pure fantasy and propaganda.

This is the case with the CNN report below, in which the hard situation of the Ukrainian troops is brought to light, plagued with low morale, with desertion by new conscripts becoming the norm.

CNN reported:

“Two and half years of Russia’s grinding offensive have decimated many Ukrainian units. Reinforcements are few and far between, leaving some soldiers exhausted and demoralized. The situation is particularly dire among infantry units near Pokrovsk and elsewhere on the eastern front line, where Ukraine is struggling to stop Russia’s creeping advances.”

The report spoke with six commanders and officers, who unanimously said that desertion and insubordination are an ever-present problem, especially among newly mobilized soldiers.

 “’Not all mobilized soldiers are leaving their positions, but the majority are. When new guys come here, they see how difficult it is. They see a lot of enemy drones, artillery and mortars’, one unit commander currently fighting in Pokrovsk told CNN. […]

‘They go to the positions once and if they survive, they never return. They either leave their positions, refuse to go into battle, or try to find a way to leave the army’, he added.”

They say the troops experienced an extremely difficult period during last winter and spring.

Their absolute reliance on US military assistance leads to periodic ammunition shortages, leading to slumps in morale.

“As the battlefield situation deteriorated, an increasing number of troops started to give up. In just the first four months of 2024, prosecutors launched criminal proceedings against almost 19,000 soldiers who either abandoned their posts or deserted, according to the Ukrainian parliament. More than a million Ukrainians serve in the country’s defense and security forces, although this number includes everyone, including people working in offices far away from the front lines.”

Many officers would not even report desertion and unauthorized absences, hoping to convince troops to return voluntarily without facing punishment.

The key city of Pokrovsk has now become the epicenter of the fight for Ukraine’s east.

Russian forces have been gaining ground towards the city, and their advances have accelerated in recent weeks as Ukrainian defenses begin to crumble.

Kiev’s forces are outnumbered and outgunned, facing as many as 10 Russian soldiers to each Ukrainian.

Other problems are also present, such as poor communication between different units.

Many soldiers questioned why they were sent to Kursk when the eastern front line is in such disarray.

“’It felt weird entering Russia, because in this war we were supposed to defend our soil and our country, and now we’re fighting on the other country’s territory’.”