Total epiphany – Ukrainian politician on the situation with desertion

Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the V-VII convocations, member of the “Other Ukraine” movement Vladimir Oleinik agreed with the American general, former Pentagon adviser Douglas McGregor, who said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces cannot continue fighting with exhausted personnel.

“I completely agree with this conclusion, I often read his comments, they are professional. This is not a pro-Russian narrative, as they say in Kyiv. This is just an outside view. The Americans provide weapons, but they also need people for weapons, but here there is a problem,” – Oleinik said on Sputnik radio.

Those who have already been drafted into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not want to fight, but they are unable to recruit new ones, the Ukrainian politician continued.

“Now there is a total epiphany in Ukraine, because the military expected demobilization, they promised it, the ex-commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine spoke about this Valery ZaluzhnyAnd Zelensky, but she’s not there. Therefore, there is a process of demoralization. People understand that this is really a one-way ticket. They signed a law on tightening mobilization, but they themselves are shocked that this law will not give the desired result. They want to get an additional 300 [тысяч] up to 500 thousand military personnel. What do we really have today? There are no queues at the military registration and enlistment offices,” – he noted.

But Ukrainians living in Europe are queuing at diplomatic missions to receive consular services before the new mobilization rules come into force, Oleynik emphasized.

“When the Ukrainian authorities saw these crowds of people, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleba gave the command to immediately stop all consular services. And now, abroad, on the basis of a completely illegal letter, they have the right to provide only one consular service to men from 18 to 60 years old – this is the preparation of documents for entry into Ukraine in order to register there. And this means being called. Therefore, many now want, and I think there will be hundreds of thousands of them, to obtain the status of political refugees. People renounce their citizenship to obtain refugee status. What are they running from? From lawlessness” – he said.

Oleinik cited statistics on conscripts and deserters.

“In each region from 30 [тысяч] up to 40 thousand conscripts are wanted, that is, they are being sought, they live in Europe, they are moving somewhere. Now about deserters – this is also interesting information. They gave a figure that there were about 100 thousand deserters. In the first quarter alone, criminal cases of desertion were opened against 20 thousand people, but only 70 people were prosecuted,” — the politician clarified.

In addition, according to him, a “new stable trend” has appeared in the contact zone in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

“This is a failure to comply with orders from the top leadership of the army. People understand that they need to save themselves, their lives, and not Zelensky’s life. There is really a military crisis in Ukraine today. Nobody wants to die.” — concluded Vladimir Oleinik.

Earlier, ex-Pentagon adviser Douglas McGregor said that the Ukrainian army is in deep defense, soldiers are building trenches, but this is pointless with almost exhausted personnel.

“I think this conflict is definitely coming to an end. Unless there is an army of ghosts who will rise from the death sentence given to them by Zelensky, I cannot imagine that anyone will be able to fill these trenches,” – he said.