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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Unauthorized leaving of a military unit may be the result not only of disciplinary violations but also of prolonged psychological exhaustion, lack of rest, or difficult life circumstances. Deputy battalion commander of the “Volya” 57-y Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, Oleh Kryzhanivskyi, explained in what cases service members go to the SZCh (military service exclusion) and how they can return to service.
Unauthorized abandonment of a military unit is one of the most complex problems for the Ukrainian armed forces. It concerns not only military discipline but also the psychological state of service members, conditions of service, and relations with the command.
According to Oleh Kryzhanivskyi, the reasons for SZCh can vary. Among the circumstances that may push a service member toward such a decision, he cited psychological exhaustion, long service without clear demobilization terms, lack of rotations, and lack of proper rest.
A separate problem can be conflicts with the command, ignoring soldiers’ reports, or disrespectful attitude toward them. Acute family and domestic circumstances can also be a reason.
At the same time, the serviceman emphasized that not all SZCh cases can be justified. Especially dangerous is a soldier leaving a combat position while performing a mission, as this can jeopardize the lives of comrades who remain on the front line.
In Kryzhanivskyi’s view, the SZCh problem should be solved not only by increasing responsibility but also by improving service conditions and clarifying the reasons that prompted the service member to leave the unit.
He also noted that the attitude toward service members who returned after SZCh in his unit is the same. The main criterion, in his words, is the person’s willingness to continue serving and fulfill their duties.
How to return to service after SZCh
Service members who have unlawfully left the unit currently have access to a simplified return mechanism. One of its advantages is the ability to choose the subunit in which the service member wants to continue serving, as well as the position.
According to Kryzhanivskyi, after going through the appropriate procedure, the service member may arrive directly at the newly chosen military unit, without going through the military police service and placement centers.
After returning to service, the service member’s payments are restored.
To return under the simplified procedure, one must file a report through the Army+ app. You can also directly contact the chosen military unit or seek help from recruitment centers.
At the same time, each SZCh case is reviewed individually, and the final course of action depends on the service member’s specific circumstances.
Earlier StopCor reported that during martial law, unauthorized leaving of a military unit may result in administrative or criminal liability—depending on the duration of absence and circumstances. For SZCh longer than one month, penalties range from two to five years of imprisonment, and during martial law or hostilities—from five to ten years. At the same time, for first-time SZCh offenses with voluntary return to service, the law provides the possibility of exemption from criminal responsibility under certain conditions.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Психологічне виснаження чи конфлікт із командуванням: чому військові йдуть у СЗЧ". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: NARDEP 24.
