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The Office of the Prosecutor General has restricted access to information about military criminal offenses committed during martial law, stating that such data is classified as information with limited access.
According to the agency’s statement published on Telegram, the decision to restrict statistics — including figures on unauthorized abandonment of military units — is a necessary and lawful step aimed at:
- protecting national security;
- preventing the use of this information against Ukraine;
- maintaining stability and trust in the defense forces during wartime;
- countering russian information and psychological operations.
The statement emphasizes that even aggregated statistics could harm Ukraine’s defense and information security by creating conditions for manipulation and hostile propaganda.
Which information is restricted
The restrictions apply to data on criminal offenses outlined in Chapter XIX of the Criminal Code — war crimes and offenses against military service regulations (Articles 401–435-1). Information about individuals who committed such offenses and related materials held by the prosecution are also classified.
The Office notes that these restrictions will remain in force only for the duration of martial law.
In November 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law lifting punishment for service members who voluntarily return to their units after their first unauthorized absence. Ukraine also plans to simplify the procedure for exempting from criminal liability those who left their unit but later returned and continued service.
