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Inside Ukraine's AWOL and military desertion crisis

Panic attacks have haunted Ukrainian serviceman Yaroslav since he returned home in the summer, leaving him gasping at night. Frustration with his commanders drove the 33-year-old to go absent without leave (AWOL), joining a growing number of Ukrainian soldiers who have left their units without permission. For Yaroslav, then a deputy platoon commander, it began with what he described as his leadership's "indifference" to soldiers' lives. Yaroslav said his command kept ordering missions that, in

About Ukraine

The Kyiv Independent delivers reliable news, context, and on-the-ground reporting from Ukraine. The largest country located entirely in Europe, Ukrainian territory covers 603,628 square kilometers (233,062 square miles), and is bordered by bordered by seven countries, namely Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. Ukraine traces its history back to the medieval state of Kyivan Rus.

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