Draft Law No. 11322 provides the possibility for servicemembers who were absent without official leave (AWOL) or deserted for the first time during martial law to return to service. Also, they may be exempted from criminal liability.

The draft supported by the parliament in the first reading provides that such servicemembers can voluntarily turn to an investigator or prosecutor with the intention of returning to the military unit to continue their service. The servicemember's intention must be approved by the commander.

"Now we have to build a system that would allow the servicemembers to rejoin the ranks. That is why the current legislation needs to be changed. There are many cases when servicemembers who left the unit without official permission want to return to the service. We must provide them with such an opportunity and create conditions for their return," said Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Nataliia Kalmykova.

The draft law was developed by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine with other institutions for consideration by the Verkhovna Rada with the aim of creating a legal mechanism for the return of servicemembers who have gone AWOL.

If the draft law is adopted as a whole, such servicemembers will be exempted from criminal liability. And after returning to the unit, all payments and support will be restored.