The Verkhovna Rada passed draft law No. 13260 in its first reading. It amends the exemption from criminal liability of military personnel who leave a military unit for the first time. The document was supported by 227 MPs.
This is stated on the website of the Verkhovna Rada.
On August 30, the deadline for returning to service with the renewal of all combat payments for servicemen who left the unit by May 8, 2025, expired.
This mechanism provided a chance to return to the military unit and continue service in a simplified manner with the renewal of monetary, food, material, and other support.
The bill provides that servicemen who voluntarily leave their unit for the first time may be exempted from liability under the rules that were in effect before the grace period.
To do this, the serviceman must voluntarily return to the military unit and serve at least three months. This period does not apply if martial law has been lifted or the serviceman has been discharged from service due to health reasons.
- At the end of August, the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office reported that as of July 2025, since the beginning of Russiaʼs full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 185 000 cases had been opened for unauthorized abandonment of units, as well as more than 50 000 for desertion.
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