The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has amended the Instruction on the organization of the implementation of the Provision on military service by citizens of Ukraine in the Armed Forces, approved by the Ministry of Defense Order No. 170 of April 10, 2009. As reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to the ministry's statement, the amendments establish a clear procedure for service members who went AWOL (unauthorized absence) or deserted but have returned voluntarily and decided to continue their service. The key innovation is that it is forbidden to involve such soldiers in combat, special, or reconnaissance tasks before they are officially processed into their unit.
Two mandatory conditions before assignment
According to the order, a returning soldier can only be tasked after two mandatory conditions are met: they must be included in the unit's personnel lists and provided with all types of support. "Upon returning to service, a soldier must be included in the personnel lists of the military unit and provided with all types of support. Only then can they be assigned to combat, special, or reconnaissance tasks," explained Deputy Minister of Defense Lyubov Halan. According to the deputy minister, the new rules are intended to definitively eliminate the practice of assigning such soldiers to tasks before their official processing is complete.
Where the new rule applies
The established procedure applies to the execution of combat and special tasks in areas of military or combat operations, in temporarily occupied territories, and on the territory of the Russian Federation. The rule also covers reconnaissance missions conducted under conditions of military or combat operations. Thus, the restriction is in effect at all levels and in all zones where a service member could be involved in active combat or reconnaissance activities.
Context: returning to service after AWOL
The Ministry of Defense previously stated that thanks to a simplified procedure, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have returned to service after unauthorized absence. The ministry estimates this influx to be comparable to the personnel of two or three brigades. In this context, the new amendments to the instruction are aimed at ensuring the process of returning and subsequently using such fighters is structured in strict legal order, without allowing them to be assigned to tasks "on the fly."
What is AWOL and why it matters
Unauthorized absence from a military unit (AWOL) is a situation where a service member leaves their unit or place of duty without permission and without a valid reason. Previously, RBC-Ukraine detailed how unauthorized absence is recorded, who is responsible for searching for the service member, and in what cases AWOL can lead to criminal liability. The newly introduced changes do not cancel liability for the act of leaving the unit itself, but they establish a transparent mechanism for integrating voluntarily returning soldiers back into the ranks.
