Transfer to another unit during AWOL — is it possible?.

If a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine decides to return to service after being absent without leave, he will not be able to automatically choose a unit to continue his service. Returning to the Armed Forces occurs either through the unit from which the military fled or through a reserve battalion.

Lawyer Yuriy Aivazyan wrote about this on the 'Lawyers.UA' portal.

What is AWOL

If a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine escapes from his military unit, regardless of the motives for his actions, he is classified as AWOL, unauthorized absence from unit.

AWOL is a violation of the law, and in some cases, the serviceman may even face imprisonment as punishment.

This is possible when a criminal case is opened based on the motives for AWOL. However, servicemen have the opportunity to return to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and continue military service.

How to return from AWOL

A citizen contacted the lawyers, asking whether it is possible to return from AWOL to the army in another military unit.

'In general, a return from AWOL occurs either through a military unit or through the VSP and a reserve battalion,' emphasized lawyer Yuriy Aivazyan in response to the citizen.

Thus, a serviceman who committed AWOL and returned cannot automatically change their military unit. However, it is indeed possible to try to transfer to a previously chosen military unit later.

Let us recall that we previously wrote about the rights of a soldier if his AWOL lasted up to three days.

Additionally, we reported on when a criminal case for AWOL is not opened.

Returning servicemen to the Armed Forces after unauthorized absence from their military unit is possible either through the military unit or through a reserve battalion. However, they cannot automatically choose another military unit to continue their service. This procedure is regulated by law and requires servicemen to fulfill certain formalities to return to the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.