Above, Mykhailo Fedorov, newly appointed Ukrainian Defense Minister<\/p>\n
Two million Ukrainians are wanted for evading mobilization, and another 200,000 soldiers are absent without official leave (AWOL), Ukraine’s new Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said<\/strong><\/a> on Jan. 14.<\/p>\n Speaking in parliament where he was appointed<\/a><\/strong> to his new role, Fedorov stressed the importance of addressing the current problems in the army so Ukraine can start moving forward, such as conducting an analysis of commanders’ effectiveness rather than making decisions based on their ranks.<\/p>\n “Today, we cannot fight with new technologies, with an old organizational structure,” Fedorov said in an address aired on television.<\/p>\n “Our goal is to change the system, carry out army reforms, improve the infrastructure on the front, to eradicate lies and corruption, to instil leadership, and a new culture of trust.”<\/p>\n The rare report on the number of Ukrainians evading mobilization or soldiers who have gone AWOL comes as Ukraine faces a critical manpower shortage<\/strong><\/a>, with infantry units especially struggling more than ever to refill the heavy losses.<\/p>\n Exhausted from fighting for nearly four years of full-scale war with barely any breaks, many soldiers have opted to go AWOL or desert, which are criminal offenses punishable by imprisonment<\/strong><\/a> of five to 12 years during wartime.<\/p>\n