The command has to deal with low morale in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the desertion of soldiers after many Ukrainian units were destroyed. This is reported by CNN with reference to the Ukrainian commanders.
Ukrainian battalion commanders told the TV channel that reinforcements in the unit rarely come, this leads to exhaustion and demoralization of the military. There is practically no communication between the various units. The most difficult situation has developed in the units near Pokrovsky.
It is noted that more than a month has passed since the invasion of the Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region. The military interviewed by the TV channel found it strange to fight on the territory of another country at a time when it is necessary to "defend your land." The attack on the Kursk region did not raise the morale of the Ukrainian soldiers.
Officer Sergei Tsekhotsky from the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade said that the rotation of soldiers should take place every three to four days, but the intensive use of drones by the enemy makes it difficult to move and sometimes forces fighters to stay in position for up to 20 days.
Commanders on the front line note that many mobilized soldiers refuse to return to their positions after the first rotation.
"They either leave their positions or try to leave the army," said one of the commanders.
According to official data of the Ukrainian parliament alone, criminal cases were initiated against almost 19 thousand deserters in the first four months of 2024.