What Ukraine's New Offer to AWOL Troops Involves

Ukraine's Defense Ministry has expanded a voluntary return program that lets soldiers absent without leave (AWOL) pick their next unit rather than being reassigned through the old disciplinary pipeline. Under the new track, eligible troops can choose from more than 70 units across the country's ground branches, state a preferred deployment area, commander and job, and then move directly to that unit instead of first reporting to the military law enforcement service.

The previous process required AWOL soldiers to register their absence through military police channels — an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison — and then pass through a reserve battalion before redeployment. The ministry said the streamlined option can be started through its website or the Army+ mobile app, and that returning troops will be shielded from involuntary transfer to another unit for six months after they rejoin.

The offer builds on a program launched in June and aimed at drawing tens of thousands of missing troops back into the ranks within 100 days. Applications must be submitted by September 20, the ministry said. Deputy Defense Minister Mstislav Banik framed the drive in practical terms: 'Drivers, UAV operators, clerks, shooters — the army needs everyone.'

The ministry also added a caveat: places in particular units and roles are limited, so a soldier's preferred assignment is not guaranteed. The choice matters to many troops because, as the ministry acknowledged, units have developed their own reputations on social media for the survival rate and welfare of their personnel, making some far more attractive than others.

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The Manpower Math Behind Kyiv's 'Pick Your Unit' Strategy

Why Choice Is a Retention Tool

The shift is an explicit attempt to address a motivation problem, not just a paperwork one. Letting soldiers pick a commander and unit gives Kyiv a way to compete with the fear and fatigue that drive soldiers to go absent: if a soldier knows a specific brigade has a strong record of survival and welfare, that unit becomes an easier place to return to. The six-month no-transfer guarantee reinforces the signal by addressing the common worry that a returning soldier will be immediately moved somewhere they did not choose.

What the AWOL Numbers Do and Do Not Show

Mykhailo Fedorov, a senior official in Ukraine's digital and military modernization push, said in January that the country had logged more than 200,000 AWOL cases since the war began. That figure is not a clean measure of absent fighters: the ministry has acknowledged an administrative loophole in which troops went AWOL simply to dodge the slow paperwork of transferring between units. The real manpower gap is therefore uncertain, but the scale of the problem and the ministry's repeated retention measures — including sharply higher salaries, with assault soldiers able to earn six-figure annual pay depending on how often they fight — show how seriously Kyiv views the shortfall.

Where the Program Could Put Strain on Units

Because unit reputations vary widely and the number of openings in popular areas is limited, the program risks uneven uptake. Well-regarded units may fill quickly, while others see less interest. That dynamic, plus the need to process thousands of applicants before September 20, will test whether the ministry can deliver on its promise of a fast, low-friction return without creating new frictions for commanders who receive unfamiliar personnel.

What Service Members and Commanders Should Watch Before September 20

  • AWOL personnel who want to return should apply through the Army+ app or the ministry website before September 20; the ministry has not said what options remain after the deadline.
  • Applicants should treat their preferred unit and role as a request, not a guarantee: the ministry says openings in popular areas are limited, so earlier applications have a better chance of matching a first choice.
  • Returning troops get six months of protection from involuntary transfer once they rejoin — a concrete safeguard against being reassigned elsewhere immediately.
  • Commanders should plan for uneven staffing, since units with stronger reputations for troop welfare and survival are likely to attract more applicants than others.