Sometimes commanders are to blame for desertion of soldiers — chief sergeant of the 109th Brigade

Sometimes, military commanders are partly to blame for their subordinates’ unauthorized desertion.

This was stated by Yehor Firsov, Chief Sergeant of the 109th Brigade’s UAV Strike Company, during an interview on Hromadske Radio.

According to him, there are various reasons why servicemen go AWOL, including personal and family issues. For example, a soldier may abandon the unit out of despair after a spouse leaves them. Firsov noted that this is a fairly common situation.

However, he emphasized that the primary cause of desertion is internal fatigue.

“It’s exhaustion after being wounded multiple times, losing hearing in one ear, or sight on one side. You’ve either gained or lost weight. You feel depressed to some extent. You’re dirty, you smell because you’ve been at the front in harsh conditions for weeks. All of this weighs on a person until they no longer care and are ready to leave», — Firsov explained.

He added that commanders generally react negatively to the unauthorized departure of their troops. However, Firsov believes that they bear some responsibility for it. He stressed that commanders should closely monitor the condition of their soldiers, understanding when they may need leave, a conversation, or a brief rest.

“So, if many soldiers go AWOL or leave the unit without permission, it means the commander isn’t fully aware of the situation. It suggests the commander is making some mistakes. Of course, a commander can’t always be the ‘good guy’ for everyone. But in some ways, he’s like a father. He can be critical, but he also needs to offer rest and make some concessions», — said the Chief Sergeant of the 109th Brigade’s UAV Strike Company.

As a reminder, Zaporizhzhia came under another Russian attack. As a result of the attack, one man was killed, and six people, including two children, were wounded on the evening of 23 September. The injured minors include a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy. Hromadske Radio correspondent Alisa Sysoyeva provided more details about the consequences and the situation in the city.