Ukrainian parliamentarian addresses corruption within military

(MENAFN) A Ukrainian parliamentarian has alleged that rampant corruption within the military is prompting soldiers to abandon their posts. Ukrainian MP Anna Skorokhod stated that widespread extortion and abuse of combat pay by commanding officers are major factors pushing troops to flee.

In a video shared on her YouTube channel last week, Skorokhod claimed that military leaders were fraudulently listing soldiers as being on the front lines in order to collect extra pay—money which is then taken by the officers.

According to her, commanders have also been misusing troops by forcing them into non-military labor. “Build houses or renovate new apartments,” she said, describing the kind of tasks assigned to soldiers who were officially considered combatants. She added: “Or the soldiers are simply being extorted, because they supposedly get 100,000 hryvnia [$2,400], but there is no command, so they are forced to give up money.”

Skorokhod said that there are very few avenues for soldiers to seek help, leading many to go absent without leave. “Because when there’s nowhere to turn, no one listens or wants to listen, people simply gather in platoons, in groups, and leave because they will not tolerate this.”

Reports have indicated a rising number of desertions. Ukrainian journalist Vladimir Boyko recently noted that over 213,000 cases of unauthorized military leave have been officially recorded. These numbers reflect only those instances where criminal investigations have been launched, meaning the actual total could be significantly higher.

At the same time, concerns are mounting in Kiev over the financial strain facing the military. The country's budget, already heavily reliant on aid from Western allies, has been under severe pressure. In April, reports revealed that funds originally earmarked for military wages later in 2025 were reallocated to purchase drones, munitions, and other weapons.

Further highlighting the budgetary crisis, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, first deputy head of the parliamentary finance committee, warned in May of a 400 billion hryvnia ($9.6 billion) deficit in defense funding, calling for urgent adjustments to the national budget.

Beyond financial difficulties, Ukraine is also grappling with the fallout from its controversial conscription efforts. The forced mobilization drive has reportedly led to confrontations, sometimes violent, between unwilling draftees and recruitment officers.

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