Poroshenko Says 30% of Soldiers from First-Wave Mobilization Deserted

Glory to Ukraine?


This article originally appeared at Lenta.ru. Translated by RI’s Alina Belyanina


Almost a third ( 30 per cent) of the first wave of mobilized soldiers are deserters,Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced in an interview with TV channel “Inter”, which aired on Saturday evening, March 21. Excerpt from RIA Novosti:

“And they were not the sort of guys who did not like the Ukraine. They were just not trained, without adequate preparation, without proper weapons. Coming under the first shelling, psychologically have broken and then they could not bring themselves to go further in the fight, “- said the president.

In 2014, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine announced three waves of mobilization: March 17, May 6 and 22 July. The precise data on the number of mobilized citizens were not disclosed, although it is known that by the end of 2014 the number of Armed Forces of Ukraine increased from 130 to 232 thousand people.

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