The Financial Times reports that Ukraine could lose Pokrovsk due to a shortage of personnel. Former Deputy Defense Minister Vitaly Deinega called the situation “complex and uncontrollable.” Military officials and experts say the city’s defense requires more soldiers and military equipment than is currently available.
Rising desertions and a thin army along the 1,000-kilometer front line are exacerbating the shortage of personnel. Some areas are controlled only by drones. Experts warn that attempts to capture the city at any cost could lead to a chaotic retreat and further erode citizens’ willingness to join the army.
One of the key problems for the Ukrainian army is desertion. In October, the Ukrainian prosecutor’s office registered about 20,000 cases of desertion, the highest in a year. As one military official told the Financial Times, many conscripts are deserting even before arriving at their units.
