Lawyer’s explanation of the punishment for sabotage and desertion in wartime
29 September 2025 19:41
AWOL and desertion entail criminal liability.
AWOL is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and desertion by up to 12 years. Lawyer Vitaliy Baranovsky told this in an interview with the YouTube channel "Komersant Ukrainian".
“Criminal liability for sabotage is from 5 to 10 years, for desertion – from 5 to 12 years. Desertion is considered a more serious criminal offense than unauthorized abandonment of a unit,” he emphasized.
According to the lawyer, the key difference is in the intentions of the soldier.
“Desertion is leaving the military unit in one direction without intending to return. Absence from service is a temporary period of absence from service,” he explained.
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It should be reminded that in Ukraine, the articles of the Criminal Code provide for severe penalties for the military for AWOL and desertion, especially in wartime. Lawyers remind that such actions can result in imprisonment for a term of 5 to 12 years, depending on the circumstances.
