International Desk: Members of the Ukrainian army are deserting in mass. Thousands of soldiers are fleeing. In this situation, in addition to creating a crisis in the forces, Kiev's war plan is becoming 'crippled'.

The Associated Press reported on Friday (Nov. 29), citing soldiers as well as lawyers and a dozen officials. They mostly spoke on condition of anonymity.

Explaining why the troop desertion problem has become so acute, an officer of the 72nd Brigade told the US news agency, "We have already taken the maximum squeeze from our people."

Ukraine's prosecutor general's office has compiled a list of more than 100,000 soldiers, nearly half of whom have been charged with desertion, the AP reported. And nearly half have resigned this year alone. But the actual number could be significantly higher.

According to a Ukrainian parliamentarian, the number of soldiers who resigned and fled could be as high as 200,000. In some cases entire units fled their frontlines.

The issue is complex, said Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Kiev-based military analyst. The war is in its third year and the problem is only increasing.

Meanwhile, the US has called on Ukraine to allow more troop deployments and the conscription of under-18s.

An estimated 300,000 Ukrainian troops were involved before the start of the war mobilization operation. A lawmaker with military knowledge estimates that as many as 200,000 troops may have defected.

He said that many people do not return to the army after receiving medical leave. Bone-weary from the permanence of war, they are psychologically scarred. They cannot muster the will to fight, feeling hopeless.