Soldiers use the VAU procedure to transfer to another unit
29 January 11:08
Voluntary abandonment of the unit has become not only an acute problem for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but also a kind of mechanism for transferring soldiers to desired units. Ukrainian activist and poet Oleksiy Byk, currently the commander of the engineer company of the 3rd separate assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who has been recruiting such fighters for the past three months, spoke about the realities of this phenomenon on his Facebook page, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
“As the trials of generals for the HRW of their subordinates are underway right now, I should also tell you a little more about HRW from a slightly different perspective. So to speak, from the bottom and from the inside. Anticipating the question – no, I did not join the NWC) For the last three months I have been acting as a recruiter for my brigade to recruit NWC. My task is to select adequate NWC from other brigades and return them to ours,” the military wrote.
He noted that everyone should understand that the phenomenon of AWOL (unauthorized leaving of a unit) opens up almost the entire spectrum of problems in our army. And it concerns not only the “runners” themselves, but absolutely all levels of management and services of the Armed Forces.
How exactly does the full cycle of AWOL work?
The procedure of AWOL involves several key stages, after which a soldier either returns to the ranks or receives a real prison sentence.
- The period of voluntary return
After the fact of unauthorized abandonment of the unit is recorded, the command gives the soldier a few days to return on his own. This is a fairly common practice, as many “runners” reconsider their decision: some are scared, others are afraid of legal consequences, some are coming to their senses after a binge. Those who return on their own are usually “educated” by their commanders using pedagogical methods, after which they return to their duties. - Internal investigation
If a soldier does not return within a few days, the military unit has a month to conduct an internal investigation. The collected materials are transferred to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), which forms a criminal case and submits it to the court. - Trial and amnesty
In most cases, a fighter is granted amnesty for the first offense of combat-related violence. This means that after the trial is over, the soldier can return to duty. - Proceedings in the HCJ or police
If a “sezeche” is detained by representatives of the Military Law Enforcement Service (MLS) or the police, he or she undergoes a documentary procedure. Further, temporary detention in the brig is possible (although this is not mandatory). - Referral to the BREZ
After registration, the soldier is sent to the reserve battalion (BREZ), where he waits for the completion of the trial and return to service. - Transfer to a new unit
A soldier does not have to return to his previous military unit. He can get an attitude (written consent) from another unit and continue his service there. This is logical, because if a person ran away from his unit, it was most likely because of unacceptable conditions. - Refusal of all units = prison
If no unit wants to recruit a soldier (including his home unit), then he faces a real prison term.
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The NWC as a way to transfer
One of the most acute problems associated with AWOL is the use of this procedure to transfer soldiers to other units. Today, this phenomenon has become widespread, making it virtually impossible to effectively combat AWOL. Oleksiy Byk notes that the state, unwittingly, encourages this practice, as it has become the only guaranteed way to change units.
The mechanism of using the NWO for transfer is quite simple.
First, a fighter agrees with another military unit to transfer, receives a letter of recommendation or written consent, and then goes to the ELF.
Then he goes through the standard return procedure: guardhouse (if necessary), paperwork, transfer to a reserve battalion (BREZ), waiting for a court decision and, finally, returning to duty in a new unit.
The explanation is simple: if a soldier was happy in his previous unit, he would not run away. So the logic of allowing them to change units seems reasonable.
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The soldier notes that in this way, the state itself is both fighting against AWOL and encouraging it, because today it is the only guaranteed way to escape from a stupid commander or unit.
“Just don’t tell me about the Army and the possibility of transferring through this app. Its problem is that it does not guarantee the result – that is, the commander can still refuse to let the soldier go (and most often he does – who would want to let an adequate specialist go?),” added Oleksiy Byk.
The second problem: the mobilization system
The massive nature of the NWC also demonstrates deep problems with mobilization.
Oleksiy explains:
“It is enough to go to any BREZ, and it will become clear to everyone that 80% of the sezcechs present there should not have been drafted at all. Because most of them are not cowardly, but marginalized. Alcoholics, drug addicts, homeless people, psychopaths, etc. Plus the disabled, the weak, the cowards, the chronically ill, the tuberculosis, the HIV-positive. People who are f**king useless in the army, and for me there is no excuse for the military training centers that recruit these “tigers” and send them to combat units, where these people then hang as meaningless ballast, decompose discipline, but create the illusion of a complete unit.”
Such fighters are not only incapable of combat, but also break down discipline.
“As a result, the BREZs are dumps where people sit around doing nothing but drinking moonshine and hawthorn tincture. For example, on New Year’s Eve, 50 liters of moonshine were poured out of one tent at one BREZ during a raid – people were seriously preparing to celebrate 2025,” says Oleksiy.
Moreover, this phenomenon is so widespread that some brigades that come to pick up their “recruits” from the BREZ bring their own recruits into the buses.
“So here’s another problem with our army: there are practically no brigades where drinking is as completely unacceptable as in mine. During one such “distribution of elephants” I made a remark to the drunken sezeks, for which I received a hammer blow to the back of the head. Four of them immediately attacked me and tried to knock me down. Fortunately, I stood on my feet, didn’t lose my coordination and scattered these jackals, but I think the general atmosphere there is clear to everyone. As well as the quality of the contingent,” Oleksiy gave an example.
He also posted the corresponding photo.
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Commanders and problems of the units
“It should be said right away that a significant part of the NWOs relapse, that is, they run away from the BREZ or new units for the second time. Sooner or later they will be caught and definitely closed for 10 years,” explained Oleksiy.
The soldier noted that some units have more frequent runaways. The reasons are the lack of normal support, dismissive attitude of the command, and unreasonable risks.
“I can’t say whether it is as much as from the 155th Brigade (its commander is judged, among other things, for the sexual misconduct of his subordinates), but, for example, once, in my presence, recruiters of one unit were chased away by the sezeches themselves right at the line-up with swearing, because half of the hundreds present had run away from that unit,” the military said.
There are also units that have a reputation for being “meatheads”.
“And, of course, there are units that have a reputation for being “meat” units. Their recruiters practically do not conduct interviews or at least any kind of selection. They don’t care about the quality of the new recruits. And, of course, almost every seasoned soldier has a story about the arrogance of commanders, problems with supplies, injustice, inhuman treatment, etc. Of course, all these stories should be divided by ten, but remember that there is no smoke without fire,” he emphasized.
The problem with the NWO
Oleksiy Byk emphasized that the problem of the NWF has become so widespread that it is impossible to shift responsibility for it to brigade-level commanders alone.
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“The problem is systemic and affects almost the entire structure of our army. The problem affects all levels of command. I have to repeat once again: we will either create a highly professional army or we will lose. Metastases of the scoop are everywhere. Brigades of my level are very rare exceptions today, unfortunately. Therefore, it is not surprising that the front is falling apart – as you know, a small Soviet army always loses to a large Soviet army,” the military summarized.
The law on returning from the NWC
on November 28, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law that abolishes the punishment for those soldiers who decide to voluntarily return to service after the first unauthorized leave of their unit.
According to the document, during martial law, military personnel who first left military units or places of service without permission or deserted and voluntarily arrived at the place of service and expressed their willingness to continue military service, military service and the contract are extended.
Salary payments, benefits and social guarantees, as well as all other types of support are resumed for such servicemen.
It should be noted that the deadline for voluntary return from the NWC has been extended.
The day before, the Verkhovna Rada passed a resolution extending the deadline for voluntary return from the NWC until March 1, 2025.
“The commander will continue to have 3 days to reinstate the soldier in service, as it was the case for the previous 2 months,” MP Solomiya Bobrovska wrote on her Facebook page.
She also warned everyone who thinks that the draft law will be extended once again. According to her, this will not happen. Instead, in her opinion, the criminalization of the first sabotage is likely to return.
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