Armed Forces Personnel who are Absent Without Leave or who have Deserted are not eligible to receive pay, pensionable benefits, allowances, or other financial benefits during the period of their absence.

We estimate that approximately 302,000 Russian military personnel have been killed or wounded, and tens of thousands more have already deserted since the start of the conflict. The number of personnel killed serving in Russian private military companies (PMCs) is not clear. Russia have utilised several PMCs and volunteer units in Ukraine to augment Russian military forces, but the deaths of personnel from these organisations are not reflected in Russian official military death tolls.

We also estimate that over 7,117 Russian armoured vehicles, including nearly 2,475 main battle tanks, 93 fixed wing aircraft, 132 helicopters, 320 unmanned aerial vehicles, 16 naval vessels of all classes, and over 1,300 artillery systems of all types have been destroyed since the start of the conflict.

We estimate that approximately 302,000 Russian military personnel have been killed or wounded, and tens of thousands more have already deserted since the start of the conflict. The number of personnel killed serving in Russian private military companies (PMCs) is not clear. Russia have utilised several PMCs and volunteer units in Ukraine to augment Russian military forces, but the deaths of personnel from these organisations are not reflected in Russian official military death tolls.

We also estimate that over 7,117 Russian armoured vehicles, including nearly 2,475 main battle tanks, 93 fixed wing aircraft, 132 helicopters, 320 unmanned aerial vehicles, 16 naval vessels of all classes, and over 1,300 artillery systems of all types have been destroyed since the start of the conflict.

We estimate that approximately 220,000 Russian military personnel have been killed or wounded since the start of the conflict. We estimate over 6,200 Russian armoured vehicles, including nearly 2,050 main battle tanks, 80 fixed wing aircraft, 95 helicopters, 250 unmanned aerial vehicles, 12 naval vessels of all classes, and over 1,000 artillery systems of all types have been destroyed since the start of the conflict. The specific number of Wagner mercenaries killed and wounded since late February 2023 is not clear, however the group highly likely continued to sustain heavy casualties before beginning to withdraw its forces from the Popasna-Bakhmut area in late May 2023.

We estimate that approximately 220,000 Russian military personnel have been killed or wounded since the start of the conflict. We estimate over 6,200 Russian armoured vehicles, including nearly 2,050 main battle tanks, 80 fixed wing aircraft, 95 helicopters, 250 unmanned aerial vehicles, 12 naval vessels of all classes, and over 1,000 artillery systems of all types have been destroyed since the start of the conflict. The specific number of Wagner mercenaries killed and wounded since late February 2023 is not clear, however the group highly likely continued to sustain heavy casualties before beginning to withdraw its forces from the Popasna-Bakhmut area in late May 2023.

We estimate that approximately 200,000 Russian military personnel have been killed or wounded in the conflict, including up to 60,000 killed in action. Since summer 2022, Wagner and regular Russian forces have likely suffered over 30,000 personnel killed and wounded in the Popasna-Bakhmut area alone. We estimate that over 5,500 Russian armoured vehicles, including nearly 2,000 main battle tanks, 80 fixed wing aircraft, 84 helicopters, 230 unmanned aerial vehicles, 12 naval vessels of all classes, and over 810 artillery systems of all types have been destroyed. Morale amongst Russia's armed forces has been low since the start of the conflict. Heavy losses, poor leadership, and inadequate equipment have all contributed to this. Moreover, a large proportion of Russia's land forces are now made up of mobilised personnel who likely have low motivation to fight in the conflict.

We estimate that approximately 200,000 Russian military personnel have been killed or wounded in the conflict, including up to 60,000 killed in action. Since summer 2022, Wagner and regular Russian forces have likely suffered over 30,000 personnel killed and wounded in the Popasna-Bakhmut area alone. We estimate that over 5,500 Russian armoured vehicles, including nearly 2,000 main battle tanks, 80 fixed wing aircraft, 84 helicopters, 230 unmanned aerial vehicles, 12 naval vessels of all classes, and over 810 artillery systems of all types have been destroyed. Morale amongst Russia's armed forces has been low since the start of the conflict. Heavy losses, poor leadership, and inadequate equipment have all contributed to this. Moreover, a large proportion of Russia's land forces are now made up of mobilised personnel who likely have low motivation to fight in the conflict.

We estimate that approximately 200,000 Russian military personnel have been killed or wounded in the conflict, including up to 60,000 killed in action. Since summer 2022, Wagner and regular Russian forces have likely suffered over 30,000 personnel killed and wounded in the Popasna-Bakhmut area alone. We estimate that over 5,500 Russian armoured vehicles, including nearly 2,000 main battle tanks, 80 fixed wing aircraft, 84 helicopters, 230 unmanned aerial vehicles, 12 naval vessels of all classes, and over 810 artillery systems of all types have been destroyed. Morale amongst Russia's armed forces has been low since the start of the conflict. Heavy losses, poor leadership, and inadequate equipment have all contributed to this. Moreover, a large proportion of Russia's land forces are now made up of mobilised personnel who likely have low motivation to fight in the conflict.

Ukraine has reported that over 100,000 Russian personnel have been killed. They also estimate over 300,000 Russian personnel have been wounded, and thousands more personnel have deserted. The destruction levels of Russia's military equipment continue to be high. We estimate that over 4,500 armoured vehicles, including main battle tanks, 70 fixed wing aircraft, 75 helicopters, 150 unmanned aerial vehicles, 12 naval vessels of all classes, and over 630 artillery systems of all types have been destroyed.

The Salerno mutiny of 1943 has been previously debated in the House of Commons and examined by legal authorities and the Department. Our position has not changed.

The destruction levels of Russia's military equipment remain high. We estimate that over 4,500 armoured vehicles, including main battle tanks, 63 fixed wing aircraft, 70 helicopters, 150 unmanned aerial vehicles, 12 naval vessels of all classes, and over 600 artillery systems of all types have been destroyed. We estimate over 25,000 of its military personnel have been killed, and many tens of thousands wounded. Thousands more personnel have probably deserted.

Ukraine's Armed Forces has inflicted heavy losses on Russian forces. Russian casualties continue to climb, with a rough estimate of 25,000 Russian dead, tens of thousands have been injured and tens of thousands more have already deserted. Poor logistics means that its troops are often without food and supplies, and morale continues to be generally awful.

Russia's war machine is severely depleted, with more than 4000 armoured and protected vehicles destroyed, more than 500 artillery pieces decimated, including rocket systems and other capabilities, and over 50 fixed-wing aircraft, as well as numerous helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles rendered inoperable. Ukraine's military have also captured many hundreds of Russian vehicles to use against the flagging Russian military.

We continue to keep the security situation under regular review, including monitoring the risk to life to our forces from a range of threats. The role of the UK Armed Forces in Mali as part of the UN Mission is to protect civilians and build long-term peace and stability in Mali.

This is information which is not available to the Department. Our assessment is relative, derived from a range of non-quantitative data.

Desertion rates amongst Mali's defence and security forces were high in late 2019, but subsequently appear to have improved. Given the role of the UK Armed Forces in Mali as part of the UN Mission, there we keep the security situation under regular review.

The information available on female Armed Forces Service personnel who have been absent without leave (AWOL) or charged with desertion in each of the last five years is provided in the tables below.

The Ministry of Defence holds no information on missing persons in the United Kingdom as this is a matter for the civilian police forces. There are no records of any female Service personnel being reported to the Service Police as a missing person overseas in the last five years.

Notes:

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 to preserve anonymity. Where the number is less than 5, the symbol ~ has been used. All figures are single Service estimates and are not official statistics produced by Defence Statistics.

The AWOL figures in the table are for the number of AWOL offences reported, not the

number of personnel who have gone AWOL. An individual may be recorded as AWOL more than once in this time period.

The figures for Recorded AWOL and Desertion charges have been compiled from different sources and have not been cross-checked.

The lack of independent reporting from Syria makes it difficult to assess the present rate of desertions from the Syrian military and to know how many are defecting to the ranks of the opposition, but we have reports that desertions and defections are having an impact on the regime's ability to conduct its military

operations. The regime has progressively increased the use of heavy weaponry, including artillery attacks from fighter aircraft and most recently scud missiles.

After many months of brutal military repression, we believe Assad should step aside in the interests of the Syrian people. The UK has been at the forefront of international efforts to support the internal and external opposition to become a viable and political alternative to the Assad regime and we welcome the recent establishment of the National Coalition. The UK has so far provided the opposition with £7 million of practical non-lethal support as they seek to secure a better future for Syrian people, and a future free from indiscriminate attacks from their own Government. We hope this will further encourage those who currently support Assad to step away from him.

[holding answer 6 November 2012]: The Ministry of Defence does not hold information on Afghan National Army desertion rates, but information on attrition rates is available. Desertion is likely to account for some of this figure, but it will also include for instance personnel who are killed in action, permanently disabled, captured, and those whose deaths are classed as non-combat deaths. The average monthly attrition rate from October 2011 to September 2012 was around 4,500. This was from an ANA strength that varied during that period between 173,150 to 194,466 personnel.

The lack of independent reporting from Syria makes it difficult to assess the present rate of desertions from the Syrian military and to know how many are defecting to the ranks of the opposition. However we have reports that there have been significant numbers, including senior military figures. In addition, a number of senior diplomats, Government Ministers and influential businessmen have courageously turned their back on President Assad.

The UK is at the forefront of international efforts to encourage those who support Assad to step away from him. We do this including through EU sanctions targeted against those who continue to support Assad and his brutal methods.